The JTT Factor
In 1995, Jonathan Taylor Thomas was the biggest kid star on the planet. Putting him in a movie with Chevy Chase seemed like a slam dunk for Disney. Viewed today, the movie is a fascinating look at what passed for 'high-stakes' family comedy in the mid-90s. The plot is thin: Ben (JTT) wants his mom to himself, Jack (Chase) wants to marry the mom, and they have to go to a camp-out to learn to love each other.
The Elephant in the Room
The central plot device is the 'Indian Guides' program (now known as Adventure Guides in the real world). In the movie, this involves a group of suburban dads and sons wearing headdresses, giving themselves 'tribal' names, and performing pseudo-ceremonies. In 2026, this is going to require a conversation with your kids about cultural appropriation. It’s not presented with malice, but it is deeply reductive.
Is it actually funny?
Slapstick is timeless, and Chevy Chase is a pro at it. If your kids still laugh at a guy getting hit in the face with a basketball or falling into a lake, they’ll get some mileage out of this. However, the 'sabotage' sub-genre of family movies (see also: Home Alone, Problem Child) often feels a bit meaner than we remember. Ben isn't just being a rascal; he's actively trying to dismantle a man's life. If you're looking for a nostalgic rewatch, keep your expectations low—this one was a 'C-grade' movie even when it was new.
