The Nanny Express (2008 TV Movie) User Reviews

Typical hallmark movie

[aaakker · 5/10 · 21 July 2009]

What can I say; this is a typical Hallmark movie. It it's sugar sweet and "suitable for the whole family". However when I say it is a typical Hallmark movie, this is also the weak part of the movie. As with most Hallmark movies, people fall in love after meeting twice, the characters in the movie are almost flawless (for example: the main character: does charity work, watches after her sick father and works full time) and the range of emotions/desires is, shall we say "limited". Also being an American Hallmark film, the church is mentioned frequently and the main character is religious.

In such movies, every character is a stereotype with matching state of mind (sad, angry, etc) and things/situations that would make the viewer think or truly care for the characters are not included in the movie as it is "suitable for the whole family". The movie is predictable and cliché. Not even good actors such as Vanessa Marcil or Dean Stockwell can save this movie in my view without a serious change of the script: something it will never get.

Do not get me wrong: I love movies to be cliché and predictable to a certain point. At the end of the movie I want the main character to gain his or her love interest, have a bright looking future and the "bully/bad guy" to be punished or forgotten. But Hallmark takes this concept to a whole other level. It does not feature the real world but the world we would like it to be. And the way the nanny is winning over the children, just too easy to be believable. All nice, easy and neat. And that makes it impossible to relate to.

If you like your movies to have a shred of realism (even the average romantic comedy has more realism than the average Hallmark movie) this film is not for you as it is not a movie for me. However, if you are a typical American conservative and like your movies to be bright and devoid of anything controversial this is a movie for you. And in that category this is one of the better ones

Undisciplined kids, annoying moments

[wawildbill-197-986443 · 6/10 · 21 February 2021]

While I enjoyed this movie, it did have some annoying moments. The kids seemingly having no discipline, the daughter in a constant state of anger. The daughter getting a near new car on her 16th birthday, which in California would have given her only six months driving experience (driving only with a licensed driver), provided she passed her driving test on the same day. A cringeworthy moment of her talking on her cellphone while driving, which would have been illegal. The movie was originally shown July 11, 2008. A law went into effect July 1, 2008 prohibiting the use of a cellphone while driving.

Pretty good nanny movie

[herrcarter-92161 · 7/10 · 3 February 2024]

This movie was fairly entertaining. The story of a nanny coming in and succeeding with bratty kids where other nannies have failed is as old as Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. But it's still a fun premise. Vanessa Marcil as Kate makes our sweet, goodhearted nanny come to life. Her performance is understated, but imbued with a lot of heart an emotion. She demonstrates this, not only with her young charges, but also in her relationship with her ailing father.

The developing relationship between Kate and the young boy Ben was great. Not much relationship between Kate and the daughter Emily, but she's so incorrigible, it's understandable. I do wish that the thaw in the relationship between Emily and Kate would have happened much earlier in the movie, and been more gradual. The relationship between Kate and the dad David was not that great, unfortunately. I never really felt much chemistry between them. That awkward kiss, where she actually says, "Are you making a move on me?" was pure cringe. The final "grand gesture" scene, where David shows up at Kate's class with flowers and his 2 kids in tow, was equally gag-worthy. Honestly, I've never liked Brennan Elliot that much as a leading man, even though he seems to be a Hallmark favorite. He always looks way too old for his leading lady, and even in this movie, where he was 33 and she was 40 when it was made, he still looked too old for her.

The one big flaw of this movie, which other reviewers have noted, is how bratty the kids were, particularly Emily, and how they are never disciplined by their father. How were they were allowed to terrorize a slew of nannies into quitting without any repercussions? And Emily's constant rude, snotty behavior, was way over-the-top. Every time she was on the screen, I wanted to slap her. I really wish the screenwriters hadn't made her quite so unlikable. I also wish that they had had Kate find a way to put her in her place, even if her father was unwilling to do so. Emily's grief over her mother's passing was no excuse for her constant disrespectful behavior. Kate shouldn't have let Emily walk all over her. Even if Emily didn't like Kate, she at least needed to learn to respect her. This narcissistic little witch was so horrible, she couldn't even find it in her heart to be nice to Kate after Kate's own father passed away.

So, the movie was reasonably entertaining, even if the kids were way too bratty. It's a familiar plot, but an engaging one, worthy of 90 minutes of your time.

Predictable but enjoyable

[mchase56 · 8/10 · 4 January 2009]

The Nanny Express is a refreshing but familiar family dramedy. It shows Vanessa Marcil in a way one is not used to seeing her act. She is dressed down, nerdy and if you can believe it...very likable. Playing an all around do-gooder suits her well. She works hard for these kids and her ill father. Her time is stretched but she finds time to tutor underprivileged children at her church. You end up liking her character of Kate very much and you want all good things for her. The rest of the cast works well together and is able to come together to make this film really work. If you're looking for a feel good entertaining movie... this is it! 8/10

Horrible

[lmgannon2 · 1/10 · 18 January 2018]

How did this movie get any good reviews? I just could not tolerate the behavior of the daughter, who was a spoiled, rich brat and said disrespectful, humiliating things to the nanny RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER FATHER, and he did nothing! So her mother died...that doesn't give her the right to treat anyone like that. The daughter was the instigator in frightening away nanny after nanny and not once did the father make her accountable for any of it or give any consequences for the behavior. Instead, she is still allowed to go to dance lessons and orders the nanny to wash and get her clothes ready and practically throws them at her, what? Again, right in front of her father! There was a simple solution...if the daughter absolutely refuses to behave after being given chance after chance, hire a nanny for the son and send her somewhere after school with strict supervision, no cellphone, etc, or any other privileges. She would get in line real fast. This is the worst nanny movie I have ever seen. The producers should be ashamed.

TV movie that offers pleasant rom-com diversion.

[TxMike · 4 January 2009]

This is a TV movie and all the actors have experience in various TV shows. Which means the acting is good, but there is no one recognizable in this movie on a budget. I believe that worked in its favor.

The man of the house is a widower with two children, a younger son and a teenage daughter. In a quick series of snippets as the movie starts, we see that the siblings have become experts at working together to drive away new nannies.

Next comes pretty Vanessa Marcil (40, looks 25) as Kate, who has an ailing father and who does volunteer tutoring at the local church. She wants to be a teacher, whenever she has time to complete her education. She needs a job, and along comes the opportunity as a nanny.

The siblings of course do their usual routine to driver her away but she doesn't quit. Kate knows what it is to lose a mom when you are a teenage girl, so she sticks with it as much to help the daughter as anything.

Meanwhile as things begin to work out well in the new job, the dad, a successful and wealthy L.A. architect, takes a liking to Kate. But the daughter, jealous, sets out to sabotage that.

There isn't anything new or Earthshaking about this movie, but the actors and the simple, sweet story make it watchable.

Also Noticed Similarity To "The Sound of Music."

[drpakmanrains · 9/10 · 17 March 2013]

Having read the reviews of this film here and on Amazon and Netflix, I wonder why those who don't like the Hallmark formula bother to watch. You know going in that the film will not be edgy, nor have overt violence, sex, or swearing, and will usually be predictable, prettier than life, and usually have some tearjerker sentimentality. This one does all these things, but I truly enjoyed it immensely. And by the way, I am not a conservative, as one reviewer believed anyone who likes this kind of fare must be.

This film follows the "Sound of Music" plot points of a Nanny who takes on unruly children of a widower. Vanessa Marcil shines in the role, and the film also has small parts by veteran actors Stacy Keach and Dean Stockwell. Unlike the 20 or so previous nannies, this one soon wins over a young Uriah Shelton, the excellent star of the later 2011 film "Lifted", but can't make much progress with his 15 year old sister, who is still hurting over her mother's death in an accident. And while you know what will eventually happen, the performances and script are quite good overall, and this, at least for me, was one of the best Hallmark films. Have a Kleenex or two ready near the end. And if you don't like Hallmark films inherently, don't bother to watch and then knock it mercilessly.

Horrible premise

[msparces-25910 · 3/10 · 27 August 2019]

How can this movie get any positive reviews? I'm so tired of bratty, disrespectful, entitled kids acting up with no consequences? Speaks volumes of the end of civilized society. Ugh! Sad these actors agreed to play these parts. Bad bad Hallmark. 😱😡🔥

The Nanny Express-Familiar Sound of Music Theme Out There Shines Again ****

[edwagreen · 9/10 · 25 June 2009]

Remember how the Von Trapp children got rid of a succession of governesses until Fraulein Maria showed up and captured their hearts as well as their widowed father. We have basically the same outline in this marvelous film.

A woman with a tragic past, an ailing father and a mother already dead, becomes a nanny to two of the most obnoxious children imaginable. They have harassed previous nannies out but she turns the table on them and immediately wins the love and respect of the young son. Problem is that she can't get to first base with the 15 year old daughter. The latter is a conniving teenage stinker. When she sees that her father is falling for the nanny, she tries to get her dance instructor interested in her widowed father.

This is also a story of human faith and perseverance. It works remarkably well with an outstanding cast.

Pretty bad

[ulara · 1/10 · 8 June 2013]

I usually like most Hallmark movies, yeah some are pretty cheesy, but overall they're pretty good. This one was horrible right from the beginning.

Is it just completely acceptable now for kids to be rude and hateful toward adults and caretakers, and their parent(s) not expecting anything else and not even trying to hold them accountable and discipline them for that kind of behavior?

You know in the beginning of the movie that the mom had died, and they're trying to imply that their behavior is because of losing their mother, but I don't buy it, and they're presenting the kids as nice normal kids, no mention of problems at school, etc. but they must have been brought up without any manners, discipline, and no expectation of respect; they are allowed by the father to say any hateful, disrespectful thing they want and have gone through about 20 nannies (none of them lasted a day) because the kids basically terrorize them, and get away with it each time. It's meant to be funny but it's not and I found it disturbing. The dangerous prank with the kids turning up the oven to 500 degrees to ruin dinner could have resulted in a fire but yet they repeatedly do this twenty times with no repercussions, like this is just a harmless prank? And the regular flooding of the laundry room, wouldn't that have had to be addressed by the father WAY before the 21st time....the kids are allowed to try to start fires and flood rooms in their home on a regular basis? And the later "misunderstanding" set up of course by the vindictive daughter, and the father's reaction to it, is just absurd. Okay, you get the picture of how ridiculous this movie is.

The dad actually witnesses his daughter being very disrespectful to the "new" nanny and doesn't ever say ONE WORD to her, he just apologizes to the nanny for his daughter, and even the nanny excuses the behavior, again implying it's because of someone different being in the house....what!? It's been three years since the mom died. Who wrote this script?

The dad obviously has money, how about he tells the kids that if they can't manage to treat the person he hires to help them and take care of them with basic respect and decency then he will have no choice but to send them off to boarding or military school, or how about one of those tough love camps....I bet that would get them in line pretty quick, and after the second -being horrible to nanny- incident, not the 21st!

It's obvious they were going for a Sound of Music theme here, but it didn't work.

Adorable movie with great chemistry among main pair

[jpsjoy · 9/10 · 3 April 2017]

Adorable movie! I love Vanessa Marcil and the male actor in this, and together they have awesome chemistry! The little boy is adorable, and the girl is challenging but it gives the story depth. If you're looking for a feel-good rom-com with good actors, this is it! Easy, inspiring and gentle flick.

Unoriginal cash-in of Nanny McPhee

[skyconor · 3/10 · 29 March 2012]

Please note I lost interest in this film halfway through, so this is a slightly inaccurate review, but still display's my feeling's I felt while watching this.

A typical cash-in of the ever-popular Nanny McPhee, this film boast's a typical family film character roster; bittersweet mother (or in this case, nanny), rebel teenager, deadbeat dad and a little brother who is mainly a supporting character and has little plot of his own.

The film has little original content, a sick father that makes the viewer feel bad for not enjoying the film, but not much else. Humor? Nah, unless you are some 80's chap that always has their head in the past, at other family films, then yes, the whole thing is a comedy festival. There's soppy moment's and a dash of romance, nothing you haven't seen before.

Unoriginal content, typical plot line and typical character development plus kids playing jokes, maturing and having boring paced character development, while the viewer has more idea what's going on moreso than the actor's make this film a real stinker.

Notably unrealistic but still enjoyable

[Jackbv123 · 8/10 · 29 July 2017]

Kate, played by 40 year old Vanessa Marcil, does not make sense. A woman like her, even if she is supposed to be low 30's, does not just exist for 15 or so years in the situation she is in, her father's health not withstanding. She goes somewhere; she doesn't sit still. She is intelligent, hard-working, motivated, and loving. But OK, let's accept that.

Emily is a totally spoiled rich kid. She has learned she can get away with anything and do anything to the nannies, even in front of her father. Clearly her father has never disciplined her in any way, ever. True, much of the motivation is her deceased mother, but nevertheless, this behavior is ingrained in Emily and she is not going to magically change overnight.

We have two good actors in the leads and we quickly see their attraction and we want it to happen. Marcil plays a wonderfully loving, patient, even nurturing woman.

Kate's final effort to reach Emily so that she will "keep the faith" is huge and self-sacrificial. It could have been so much more emotionally, but the movie plays this through too quickly. Even so, I had tears.

The movie also didn't quite sell David's love-sickness after Kate leaves. It was there for Emily to see, but we can't tell if she picked up on it. It kind of looks like she does, but the self-centered, pity-me girl we saw for most of the movie wouldn't have.

And where did Emily go between the church scene and the school scene. Staging the final scene requires a gap here so that we can get the kids in the classroom, but the gap doesn't make sense.

OK, so I've really torn this movie apart. But I so love Kate and her love that fills the movie from start to finish that I ended up really enjoying the movie.

Enjoyable Movie

[mammamia701 · 8/10 · 30 October 2019]

This wasn't the typical cheesy romance. Seemed quite realistic with the daughter not liking a possible girlfriend of her widowed father. Some pranks the children played made me laugh. However, there are a couple of parts that will have you reaching for the Kleenex .... I know it did me. Will it end the typical "happily ever after" ? Make some popcorn, get the Kleenex and enjoy.

Many tears to shed

[MickyG333 · 8/10 · 13 February 2024]

7.9 stars.

There is something particularly sweet about the story of a nanny, who grows fond of a father and his two children. That, being the only description of this film, you might think this is the standard narrative that you've seen 100 times. But you would be dead wrong. This nanny story is without a doubt much more enriching and better than most. At least it's one that I won't soon forget. There are a lot of endearing moments, many tears were shed. These children lost their mother three years ago in a car accident. The children have been harassing and tormenting all the nannies that the father has hired over the years, and she is going through the same hell. But this nanny is different. She understands what the children are experiencing, she gets it. The rest of the story is about how this sweet woman softens their hearts. The daughter is very bitter and is able to push the nanny beyond her limits. Would you expect any less from a 15-year-old? This is a must see for the whole family at least once every five years.