Synopsis
Nancy Drew, a smart high schooler with a penchant for keen observation and deduction, stumbles upon the haunting of a local home. A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve the mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community
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Cast
- Sophia LillisNancy Drew
- Sam TrammellCarson Drew
- Linda LavinFlora
- Zoë ReneeGeorge Fayne
- Mackenzie GrahamBess Marvin
- Laura Slade WigginsHelen Corning
- Andrea AndersHannah Gruen
- Jesse C. BoydWillie Wharton
- Jay DeVon JohnsonSheriff Marchbanks
- Andrew Matthew WelchDeputy Patrick
Recommendations
- 75
The Seattle Times
Even with that major miscue, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase works well for its target audience. It shows that anyone can stand up to peer pressure, bullying or even a ghost if they are smart and strong enough. As for the mystery of how good the movie is, the case is closed on a positive note. - 70
Los Angeles Times
As played by It standout Lillis, Nancy is smart, independent and loyal, and it’s easy to see how she’ll charm a new generation of viewers — and hopefully readers. - 70
Variety
But here’s the cool thing: The film’s consistently clever script, from empowerment-minded “The Handmaid’s Tale” writers Nina Fiore and John Herrera, isn’t nearly as interested in the mystery as it is in Nancy Drew herself, or in the circle of characters and relationships that surround her. And that’s the smart way to approach such a case, since the movie was clearly intended to be more than a one-off. - 70
Film Threat
This is innocuous, pop entertainment and, taken on those grounds, it does the job just fine. - 60
New York Magazine (Vulture)
It’s a charming movie, with charming characters. Lillis is ideally cast as Nancy, often cheerfully undercutting some of her character’s more precocious proclamations, cracking smiles and reminding us that she’s still a kid. - 58
The A.V. Club
It’s a watchably low-key family adventure, but that’s a low bar to clear for Nancy Drew, so well-suited to function as a gateway text—to Sherlock Holmes, Veronica Mars, Philip Marlowe, Brick, House, Encyclopedia Brown fanfic... almost anything involving advanced noticing. - 50
TheWrap
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is clearly made by people who have thought through the material and tried to make it enjoyable and palatable, but the set-up at the end for further sequels feels a little too hopeful. - 50
Austin Chronicle
Screenwriters Nina Fiore and John Herrera have modernized Keene’s decades-old storyline without completely chucking the quaint qualities of the original.
