The Naughty Nine Parent Guide

Andy (Winslow Fegley) is a master of mischief. With his best friend Dulce (Camila Rodriguez), they pull off heists, pranks, and other forms of misbehavior, much to their parents and teachers’ frustration. But the thing about being naughty is, Santa has a list for that.

When neither Andy nor Dulce receive gifts from Santa one Christmas, they decide to take matters into their own hands. Pulling together a team of other naughty-listers, the pair plan the ultimate heist: break into Santa’s workshop and steal their presents.

Heist films truly are the gift that keep on giving. My unending love for them lets me assure you that you can find a heist to fit nearly any genre, age range, and rating. You want an R rated sci-fi heist? That exists! You want a G-rated Christmas themed heist for kids? As of today, you can have it! And the best news is, it’s actually pretty good. My main disclaimer is that The Naughty Nine is a Disney Channel Original Movie, so that comes with lowered expectations around production value, budget, and writing. Although I would put this on the slightly higher end of DCOMs in those categories, it is still a made-for-TV movie, so keep that in mind.

Two factors account for the movie’s success: the heist, and the message. The heist is relatively simple, since it’s geared for a child audience, but it’s still entertaining. The team Andy puts together has some fun characters with distinct skills and reasons for being on the naughty list. Personally, I was a big fan of Jon Anthony (Deric McCabe), but I’m sure most children could find at least one of the Nine to relate to, if not find funny.

What I really appreciate about this production, however, is the overall theme. As Santa (Danny Glover) explains near the end, you get to choose what kind of person you want to be every day. Andy and the other kids learn that just because you were a troublemaker before doesn’t mean you have to be forever. You can choose today to make different choices. The writers also touch on the idea that doing bad things might feel good, but that feeling is fleeting; on the other hand, when you do good things you feel good long term. These are great messages for young audiences, and maybe even for adults.

With essentially no negative content of note, The Naughty Nine is sure to be a hit with most families. It’s simple, sweet, and features a festive heist. For a holiday themed flick, there’s not much more one could ask for, regardless of which List they might be on.