Like most of the movies I’ve seen as of late, this was a request from my friend Kate. I probably watched this movie when it first came out but didn’t remember any of the plot. The fact that I knew all the words to one of the songs was a little scary though. I think it was on Tik Tok at some point…
Disney movies from this time period were some of the best. Big hits like Lemonade Mouth, Let It Shine, Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure to name a few. Because it is a Disney movie some of the actors have been in other Disney films or shows, like Ross Lynch, Brady, who was in Austin & Ally when Teen Beach Movie came out. With the logistics out of the way, it’s review time. (SPOILER ZONE) So this movie is about two sophomores in high school, Brady and McKenzie, that want to live out an endless surfer summer together. This is until McKenzie’s Aunt comes to pick her up to take her to a private school for the last two years of high school. To save Brady’s heart McKenzie breaks up with him but get in an argument that leads McKenzie to surf on last time before leaving. However, she used a ‘special board’ that transports her and Brady into his favorite movie, Wet Side Story. This movie is set in 1962 and is a mixture of Romeo and Juliet with the cliques like in the movie Grease. The songs in this movie are cheesy, but the good kind of cheesy, there had to be a reason I knew the songs only after hearing them once. With the goal of getting out of the movie Brady and McKenzie are swept in by the musical numbers, and accidentally change the movie by getting the two leads to fall in love with them instead. So, with the new task of getting the movie back on track, they realize they are starting to become a part of the movie and have to quickly beat the villain of the movie, capitalism. Kidding, it’s just a resort Tycoon that wants to buy the local hangout, Big Momma’s, to build a beach getaway. After being kidnapped by the villains the cast of the movie band together to rescue McKenzie and Brady, and the two leads end up falling for each other without the Brady and McKenzie putting in the work. Conflict solved, they both go back to the real world, and McKenzie tells her aunt she wants to stay for high school, happily ever after.
It really is a classic Disney movie, and I’m glad I watched it again.
8/10
This post took me back to the first time I watched Teen Beach Movie, so I am glad I chose to read this post! I have watched a lot of Ross Lynch through Austin and Ally, so that was the main reason I remember picking this movie to watch.
I did notice that you mentioned Lemonade Mouth, and that to date is my favorite Disney movie! Overall, your review is well done!
I saw the picture of the movie and was immediately excited to hear you’re opinion on Disney Channel. I had great memories of TV shows on Disney Channel as a kid and think the quality of the productions has significantly decreased since I was a kid. However, my brothers could say the same thing about the shows they watched as kids. Perhaps, as we age our perspective changes and the shows are equally good to kids. Lemonade Mouth was my absolute favorite movie as a kid, with Radio Rebel coming in as a second. I did watch Teen Beach Movie when it came out because I really liked Ross Lynch from Austin and Ally (a great show). Nice recap of the film. It was a solid film, but not my best, so my personal rating would be a 6/10.
Oh man, I remembered when I first watched Teen Beach Movie. It is cringey and cheesy, but I must admit that the songs are at least a little groovy. I’d personally say that prime time Disney movies were the ones that came a little bit before Teen Beach Movie, like Lemonade Mouth (absolutely spectacular movie), StarStruck, Princess Protection Program, and Let it Shine. I enjoyed reading your post as always. I chuckled at the line about capitalism being the villain of the movie.
The amount of excitement I got just by looking at the poster for this movie already brought me back to a time when I would sing along with the songs in this movie and do the group dances with my siblings and friends at random. Let it Shine, Princess Protection Program, Cloud Nine, and Lemonade Mouth are my all-time favorites.
This movie is a staple for the Gen Z generation and reading your post made me remember back to when this movie came out and what life was like back then. I remember my classmates and I constantly singing the songs and for a long time after it came out everyone dressed up as the characters for Halloween. Loved your post, brought back a lot of childhood memories!
This was such a fun movie. I remember watching it with some of my friends in high school after one of our horror movie nights! I love movies that have such a good memory attached to them. It was a fun and light film that’s perfect for a girls night!!