Seventeen Again
Seventeen Again | |
---|---|
DVD cover | |
Directed by | Jeffrey W. Byrd |
Produced by |
Brandon Bates Darlene Mowry Stewart St. John |
Written by | Stewart St. John |
Starring |
Tia Mowry Tamera Mowry Mark Taylor Tahj Mowry Hope Clarke |
Music by |
Christopher Franke Shawn Stockman |
Cinematography | John P. Tarver |
Edited by | Jeffrey Cooper |
Production company |
Tri-Ess Productions |
Distributed by | Showtime Networks |
Release dates | November 12, 2000 |
Running time | 97 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Seventeen Again is a fantasy–comedy film. It first aired on Showtime on November 12, 2000, and was released on DVD on April 9, 2002. The movie has been included as a bonus feature on the Sister, Sister complete collection box set released March 2016. The film stars Tia & Tamera, and their brother Tahj Mowry. The film was directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd.
Plot
When the Donovan family moves from California to Connecticut, 17-year-old Sydney (Tia Mowry) finds it is not easy being in a new town away from her old friends. However, she soon develops a crush on a classmate while trying to compete with his older sister, Ashley (Maia Campbell), who dislikes her and criticizes her anyway she can. Her 12-year-old genius brother Willie (Tahj Mowry) is happy as long as he can tinker in his lab with his increasingly complex experiments. When another experiment goes wrong, their father bans him from making more experiments in his lab until he learns responsibility in them. Willie is convinced he can defeat the aging process, and while devising an experimental anti-aging formula, he accidentally spills some on a bar of soap.
When his grandmother Cat (Hope Clarke) mistakenly uses the tainted soap, she's transformed into a 17-year-old (Tamera Mowry). Her ex-husband Gene (Robert Hooks) follows suit, and is also returned to his teenaged self (Mark Taylor).
Cat and Gene are having a fine time reliving their youth and enjoying the thrill of teenage romance, but there's a fly in the ointment. Willie learns his formula could have deadly side effects, and now he must discover an antidote to return his grandparents to their older but healthy bodies. In Sydney's room, she and Cat finally have a long and heartfelt talk. Sydney admits she's homesick for California and her old friends. She hates Connecticut and the bullying she is subjected to by Ashley and her friends because Ashley's brother is interested in her. During that time, Cat admits her earlier experience with Ashley. However unlike Sydney, she was able to stand up to her and earn Ashley's begrudging respect.
Meanwhile at the dance, Sydney finally stands up to Ashley and decks her for insulting Cat. As she and Willie leave to save their grandparents, everyone applauds Sydney giving Ashley what she deserved. Willie tosses the antidote in the pool and Gene and Cat jump in. At the end of the movie, Gene asks Cat to marry him again after their crazy experience. Cat says yes, but then the happiness is interrupted by Sydney and Willie's father screaming having used the soap.
Cast
- Tia Mowry as Sydney Donovan
- Tamera Mowry as Young Cat Donovan
- Mark Taylor as Young Gene Donovan
- Tahj Mowry as Willie Donovan
- Hope Clarke as Cat Donovan
- Robert Hooks as Gene Donovan
- Merwin Mondesir as Todd
- Phillip Jarrett as Barry Donovan
- Tonya Lee Williams as Monique Donovan
- Maia Campbell as Ashley
- Daryn Jones as Terrance
- Novie Edwards as Julie
Production notes
Seventeen Again was executive produced by Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman. Stockman also served as the film's music composer.
Seventeen Again was filmed on location in Toronto, Canada. The school scenes were filmed at Eastern High School.
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | American Black Film Festival | Won | Best Work in Progress | Jeffrey W. Byrd |
2001 | Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Family TV Movie/Pilot/Mini-Series - Cable | |
Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy) - Leading Young Actress | Tia and Tamera Mowry | |||
Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy) - Supporting Young Actor | Tahj Mowry |
Reception
Seventeen Again has a 6.3/10 rating on the Internet Movie Database.