Unaccompanied Minors (2006)

A group of unaccompanied minors bond while snowed in at the midwestern Hoover International Airport during the holiday season and ultimately create a makeshift holiday themselves.

Director:

Paul Feig

Writers:

Jacob Meszaros, Mya Stark

Stars:

Dyllan Christopher, Tyler James Williams, Gia Mantegna

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lewis Black	...	Oliver Porter
Wilmer Valderrama	...	Zach Van Bourke
Tyler James Williams	...	Charlie Goldfinch
Dyllan Christopher	...	Spencer Davenport
Brett Kelly	...	Timothy 'Beef' Wellington
Gia Mantegna	...	Grace Conrad (as Gina Mantegna)
Quinn Shephard	...	Donna Malone
Paget Brewster	...	Valerie Davenport
Rob Corddry	...	Sam Davenport
Dominique Saldaña	...	Katherine Davenport
Jessica Walter	...	Cindi
Rob Riggle	...	Head Guard Hoffman
Michelle Sandler	...	Mary Lynn
David Koechner	...	Ernie
B.J. Novak	...	Desk Attendant

Storyline

Spencer and his little sister, Katherine, are flying to Pennsylvania for Christmas with their dad. While changing planes, a blizzard moves in and cancels all flights out of Hoover Airport: they must stay in a basement room with the other unaccompanied minors. Spencer and four others - a chubby boy, a non-stop-talker, a surly girl, and a rich kid - go AWOL and get in trouble with Mr. Porter, the Christmas-hating airport supervisor. The five misfits spend the night evading and enduring Porter's punishments, discovering all sorts of things in back rooms, making sure Katherine gets her visit from Santa, and finding among themselves a new kind of family.

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Plot Keywords:

two word title | title spoken by character | warner bros | 2000s | airport | 

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Taglines:

Break Out December 8

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild rude humor and language

Details

Official Sites:

warnerbros

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

8 December 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Unaccompanied Minors

Filming Locations:

Echo, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,815,474, 10 December 2006

Gross USA:

$16,647,384, 4 March 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Donners' Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the UK release, the film was renamed twice. The original trailer was titled Unaccompanied Minors; the second trailer and the film referred to it as Grounded, and the third trailer had the title as Grounded: Unaccompanied Minors.

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Goofs

When Spencer hangs up the phone at the airport, then it goes to his mom, the woman sitting next to Spencer's mom pushes her headband up. in the next part, it is back down again.

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Quotes

Baggage Handler: [teasing the caged barking dog] No Christmas dinner for you, Cujo!

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Connections

References Cape Fear (1991)

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Soundtracks

The Sidewinder
Written by Lee Morgan
Performed by Lee Morgan
Courtesy of Blue Note Records
Under License from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

My kids liked it

I gave this movie a 5, which is a compromise. There were a few smiles in it, but mostly not such a great plot - but my kids, 11 and 14, enjoyed it, the 11 year old the most. If I were making the decision for myself alone, I wouldn't watch it until it came on TV, but it was worth it for a couple hours of enjoyment for the kids. The acting by the child actors was surprisingly good; it was the story that was not well-developed. I guess I should have realized that it wasn't that great when I discovered that it was located in the smallest theater in the multiplex! Overall, I'm sorry I spent over $17.00 to get us all in, but somewhat mollified by the fact that my daughter laughed out loud, repeatedly.