Gregory Harrison and Heidi Lenhart (Oliver Caldwell, Jenny Morgan) have that certain chemistry that makes this film enjoyable. Jenny needs a job so she takes a job as a nanny to the Caldwell residence. Oliver has two children that are little "monsters" that bring terror to adults. Oliver is engaged to Vivian Berger, a snobbish and cold-hearted woman. Vivian doesn't care for the kids and becomes jealous of Jenny. A bond of love develops between Jenny and the kids as the "terrors" become "matchmakers." Vivian has her own plans to derail the kids and Jenny which is successful. The plot is very predictable and yet you fall in love with Jenny and those "brats." Can Oliver see past the schemes of Vivian? Will Jenny and Oliver marry? A very entertaining film for the whole family.
17 Reviews
Rather Budapest than Paris
abalogh15 June 2001
Altogether a charming little piece, but it was pathetic to see that except a 20 second shot showing the obvious Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, almost the whole movie was shot in Hungary's lovely Budapest and Szentendre - without giving any due credit (except the Hungarian signs all over the place). For all those that are "sucker for movies that take place in Paris" - sorry to disappoint you ;-)
The writers never met a cliché they didn't like
adjensen11 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Ranks up there as one of the absolutely worst "made for TV" movies, and that's quite a feat. With a plot that's an amalgam of "Cinderella" and "Sound of Music" and fires off ridiculous clichés with almost every plot turn, "Au Pair" is terrible from start to finish.
Heidi Lenhart is tolerable in her role as the knuckle-headed fish out of water, but only wins in the end because the writers (I assume there were writers) penciled in a happy ending. From the boyfriend you know will cheat on her from the first scene, to the evil nemesis complete with wicked sisters, to the MTV video inspired make over that turns bland and boring Jenny into a hot vixen, to the kids she wins over through determination and pluck, this movie manages to take on every cliché ever made.
It also features a "twenty years older than her" Gregory Harrison as the children's father, who dumps the evil witch and marries Jenny, apparently on a whim, as there is no chemistry, no interest, and to that point, they'd spent maybe twenty minutes together. But she's hot, the kids seem to like her, and he needs some new eye candy, so it must make sense in his universe.
John Rhys-Davies is given the thankless role of the chauffeur who actually sees things as they are (in this reality anyway) and encourages Jenny to get what she wants. Thankfully, he'd see a better role in Lord of the Rings a couple of years later.
I can't imagine who this movie was meant to appeal to (elderly squirrels? bad movie fans?) but it lacks any redeeming quality at all. Avoid at all costs.
Heidi Lenhart is tolerable in her role as the knuckle-headed fish out of water, but only wins in the end because the writers (I assume there were writers) penciled in a happy ending. From the boyfriend you know will cheat on her from the first scene, to the evil nemesis complete with wicked sisters, to the MTV video inspired make over that turns bland and boring Jenny into a hot vixen, to the kids she wins over through determination and pluck, this movie manages to take on every cliché ever made.
It also features a "twenty years older than her" Gregory Harrison as the children's father, who dumps the evil witch and marries Jenny, apparently on a whim, as there is no chemistry, no interest, and to that point, they'd spent maybe twenty minutes together. But she's hot, the kids seem to like her, and he needs some new eye candy, so it must make sense in his universe.
John Rhys-Davies is given the thankless role of the chauffeur who actually sees things as they are (in this reality anyway) and encourages Jenny to get what she wants. Thankfully, he'd see a better role in Lord of the Rings a couple of years later.
I can't imagine who this movie was meant to appeal to (elderly squirrels? bad movie fans?) but it lacks any redeeming quality at all. Avoid at all costs.
Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!
harrow_jeremy18 June 2001
Sitting at home on a Sunday night, expecting an average sort of telemovie to come on and occupy my otherwise boring night. Well I definitely was wrong. Au Pair was probably the worst film I have seen in my entire life. Your traditional cliched plot was something with which almost made me run away, and the fact that you know how everything will happen right from the word go is unbelievably annoying. The acting in this film represents that of the 'BAD telemovie' community very well. I normally have some understanding with telemovies, expecting them not to be brilliant but slightly entertaining, but this really is HORRIFIC for the telemovie image. The fact that this film is advertised as a family flick repulses me to the extent of running away to gasp for air, and wash my self because it is so dirty. Not dirty in your sexual or violent way but for the fact that a film could be this bad, and yet still make it on to TV screens. If this is what families of today are meant to sit down and watch together, then I am afraid we are looking at a very simple minded and uneducated future, with appauling senses of humour.
If only there were a rating on IMDB lower than 1... Be Afraid of this film BE VERY AFRAID!
If only there were a rating on IMDB lower than 1... Be Afraid of this film BE VERY AFRAID!
Superb family comedy
Streetwolf17 November 2001
Heidi Lenhart stars as Jenny, a young MBA graduate who doesn't have a lot of money so she starts looking for a job in order to one day be able to marry Charlie (Michael Woolson). She ends up at Caldwell Corp. after getting a lot of rejections and is very surprised to meet the great Oliver Caldwell (Gregory Harrison)in person, who is too busy to be with his kids and needs a nanny. She agrees to take the job and he takes the whole family to France along with his girlfriend and executive Vivian Berger. His kids, Alex and Katie hate spending time with nannies so they constantly find ways to get rid of Jenny, but with help from the Caldwell limo driver Nigel (John Rhys-Davies) she not only impresses the kids but Oliver as well. It was a great movie to watch it also reminded me so much of that series with Fran Drescher that was called The Nanny.
Mary Fails To Pop
chow91322 June 2013
This film portrays itself as a modern day 'Mary Poppins,' a rags to riches love story about a shy girl whose intelligence wins her prince charming and conquers over the snobby rich witches.
Unfortunately 'Au Pair' I and II are the exact opposite of what they promise. I cannot find a single redeeming reason why any audience young or old would find this film series entertaining on any level.
The plot: This is the type of film where the audience has already figured out the entire storyline by the opening credits and must endure the motions waiting for the characters to catch up.
Heidi Lenhart stars as a nerdy business school graduate whose so preoccupied with money that she'd rather follow her business plan of working during to summer than going with her fiancé to Europe.
Lenhart isn't nails on a chalkboard but there's nothing remotely charming about her, nor does her character grow in any way. She is actually that which she claims to detest, a money obsessed snob. She ends the film no different.
The most annoying thing about her character is the typical Hollywood fiction of a recent business school graduate knowing more about business than those characters with 20+ years of real world experience. Somehow these characters always try too hard to immediately begin managing multinational corporations right from the start rather than working their way up.
Lenhart's accepts a position working under a billionaire businessman in Europe. He's also money obsessed and his character never grows. Maybe this is why they fall in love. But is that really a love story anyone wants to see. I'm sure Adolf and Eva also had a lot in common.
For two people supposed to be so detail orientated somehow he's actually hired her to be his motherless children's au pair. Ha ha ha. What a funny mix up.
The two Arian uber children a cute but their characters have no real active roll in this film what so ever. They don't do anything at all. They don't misbehave or cause trouble. They're just around.
In conclusion, if you want to see a love story between two stone cold money obsessed snobs this is the film for you. If you want family film romance and comedy look elsewhere.
Unfortunately 'Au Pair' I and II are the exact opposite of what they promise. I cannot find a single redeeming reason why any audience young or old would find this film series entertaining on any level.
The plot: This is the type of film where the audience has already figured out the entire storyline by the opening credits and must endure the motions waiting for the characters to catch up.
Heidi Lenhart stars as a nerdy business school graduate whose so preoccupied with money that she'd rather follow her business plan of working during to summer than going with her fiancé to Europe.
Lenhart isn't nails on a chalkboard but there's nothing remotely charming about her, nor does her character grow in any way. She is actually that which she claims to detest, a money obsessed snob. She ends the film no different.
The most annoying thing about her character is the typical Hollywood fiction of a recent business school graduate knowing more about business than those characters with 20+ years of real world experience. Somehow these characters always try too hard to immediately begin managing multinational corporations right from the start rather than working their way up.
Lenhart's accepts a position working under a billionaire businessman in Europe. He's also money obsessed and his character never grows. Maybe this is why they fall in love. But is that really a love story anyone wants to see. I'm sure Adolf and Eva also had a lot in common.
For two people supposed to be so detail orientated somehow he's actually hired her to be his motherless children's au pair. Ha ha ha. What a funny mix up.
The two Arian uber children a cute but their characters have no real active roll in this film what so ever. They don't do anything at all. They don't misbehave or cause trouble. They're just around.
In conclusion, if you want to see a love story between two stone cold money obsessed snobs this is the film for you. If you want family film romance and comedy look elsewhere.
Must see!
lindentravers-226 March 2000
This is my favorite movie! It is funny, cool and I loved Jenny Morgan! The kids were bratty and you wanted to kill them, but so what, they were great and by the end you will love them as much as the rest of the fun, cute and funny movie. although I do think the formula is unoriginal and the film probably tried too hard, but still not stopping the 10/10 from me!
Clichéd, formulaic, unworthy film
John-atte-Kiln19 December 2018
Groan. Every cliché on the book. Big breasted heroine, plain Jane (you can tell that because she wears .. spectacles), square jawed unfounded hero with endless pocketfuls of cash, villainous sharp featured mildly bad woman, miraculous situations (heroine gets a super-job having no apparent qualifications, oh she's magicked away to exotic locations and top class hotels based on, um, fresh air?), bad kids become good kids because the plot needs it. And plagiarisation - the inevitable wiggling woman laughingly trying on lots of thousand dollar outfits half way through the film whilst the sound track plays .. yup "Pretty Woman" (I wonder where they got that idea from?). Best of all, the heroine eventually abandons her spectacles and .. wow! she's beautiful. And so on and so forth. A disgraceful attempt to make money using other people's achievements.
Not a bad movie, some flaws
dereksaun25 August 2002
Not a bad movie, but there were some unpolished areas. A bit too much slapstick (like the wicked fiance falling in the water). There was also not much, if any, credit given to the Budapest location. Were we suppose to think it was Paris? John Rhys-Davies might be typecast (but only in my mind). I kept thinking "what is General Koskov of the James Bond film 'The Living Daylights' doing here?" After all, part of the James Bond film was set in Vienna, like this film!
The audience naturally would be hoping for a happy ending. However, the Gregory Harrison character is not necessarily the ideal husband. He is easily fooled by the fiance, is willing to be tricked into a sudden wedding, and doesn't seem to have an interest in his children.
Overall, I think the film could have been better had the script been written better. Perhaps they assume that children can only understand a situation where good and bad are obvious.
The audience naturally would be hoping for a happy ending. However, the Gregory Harrison character is not necessarily the ideal husband. He is easily fooled by the fiance, is willing to be tricked into a sudden wedding, and doesn't seem to have an interest in his children.
Overall, I think the film could have been better had the script been written better. Perhaps they assume that children can only understand a situation where good and bad are obvious.
i really liked it
angelbreath314 January 2001
I really liked this movie. The acting was pretty good, and I LOVED the scenes in Europe. What can I say...I'm a sucker for movies that take place in Paris. Even though those kids were somewhat annoying, they didn't bother me so much, that i would change my opinion on the movie. I also love that actress who plays the step mom-to-be. she is really funny, and has a history of playing those types of characters. Remember "it Takes Two"? Yea, that was her. Anyways, this was a great movie, and it was really worth watching.
Good Movie
sundrop23 April 2001
I saw this movie first, when I was at a friend's house, in about 1999. I really liked it, but I forgot how good it was. Then, one day last week, I was flipping through channels, and when I got to Fox Family, I saw that it was on. It was near the beginning, so I watched it. Then, I saw lots of commercials for Au Pair 2. I couldn't wait to watch that. Last night, I watched the World Premire, and loved it. I hope that someday, there is another one.
Excellent Sunday afternoon fare
Webwolfhound18 April 2001
I saw this film at Easter (bank holiday) and watched it only because I had nothing better to do. I loved it: OK the story is predictable and follows the usual family film, Cinderella format but the acting was fine, the kids were good (not overplayed) and it never felt "eighties". Basing the action in Europe was a great idea. Heidi Noelle Lenhart is outstanding, she lights up the film and is possibly even more gorgeous than Salma Hayek, so she should go a long way. Forget the family angle this is a movie for sad old fortysomething men with a few hours to spare fantasising about winning the lottery and buying thier own castle.
Great Family Movie
naragon-213 March 2000
Great Movie with a sincere message for those parent's that need to make time to spend with their children. It also shows that life can't be always planned, but rather made up along the way! The comedy was great! This movie will be under-looked by many for the lack of promotion, but if you have a chance to watch it! Do it, for you won't be disappointed!
Au Pair Summary
jes423895 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Au Pair is such a heartwarming movie for the whole family. I especially love Gregory Harrison's role as Oliver. It was nice to see Jane Sibbett as a villain, since she played a great one in the movie "It Takes Two" with the Olson twins. Jane Sibbett always handles great roles which involve her as mean, annoying and the character that makes everything going great for her and not for everybody else, until the kids prove it. I love how Heidi Lenhart played Jennifer Morgan. She really showed how her intelligence and confidence can help with all the unexpected things that happen to her in this movie. All of the characters played their part very well and should've made people put this movie on video cassette or DVD. I especially love how well the actors of the kids did. They looked like they enjoyed acting with Heidi Lenhart and Gregory Harrison. I babysit as a job, and most of the kids really enjoyed this movie.
Excellent
zeo119 July 2001
This film was great all the way trough and I think it will appeal to a a lot of people. The children in it were excellent and aloough they are not that well known I have seen other work by them and can Tell they are very talented in what they do and I think that Jake Dinwaddie is one of the best child actors I have ever seen.
Locations and Farmers
berta991 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The movie is like a fairytale, so children of the right age will like it. What I don't like about the movie is the way it butchers cities. It shall play in Paris and Vienna? All I can see is Budapest - which is a beautiful city too, by the way. But why claiming to be somewhere else and then showing pictures of Budapest's world famous Parliament house and suspension bridge? And while they inserted shots of the Eiffel tower and the Arc de triumph of Paris, I didn't see a single picture of any sight in Vienna. The second thing I really didn't like was the way the farmers "40 km outside of Vienna" were depicted. The whole set reminded me more of the museum of mountain farmers in the 19th century "Peter Roseggers Waldheimat" then of my uncles farm which is situated 60 km outside of Vienna.
Sound of Music Rip-off
tomroes26 March 2001
Although it's nice to see so much wealth, beautiful European cities, landscapes and the leading actress, all in the sun, the plot is as cliche as cliche can be.
A total Sound of Music rip-off, it even plays in Salzburg a while, but on the average; pretty nice to digest.
A total Sound of Music rip-off, it even plays in Salzburg a while, but on the average; pretty nice to digest.
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