When most of us were younger, we probably grew up on the old Nickelodeon, Disney Channel or Cartoon Network. Personally, I grew up on Disney, waiting each week for the latest episode or movie. Recently, Disney Channel had their 100th movie released, so they showed all the old movies on TV. I was so excited for that weekend to relive my childhood, to see all the movies I hadn't seen in forever.
But, since there are 100 movies, it's easy to forget about some of the lesser known movies. Some of these lesser known movies could be really good, and we don't know what we're missing. There was one movie that was shown that I forgot about, but then happily rediscovered. It was "Quints."
"Quints" tells the story of Jamie Grover, a 13-year-old only child. She's the center of attention in her parent's lives, but she wishes she didn't have so much spotlight. One day, she comes home to find out her mother is pregnant...with quints.
Jamie then feels overshadowed by the quints after they get a contract with a diaper company, which means they get all the fame and attention. Throughout the story, Jamie has to discover who she is and how she can fit into her family.
This Disney movie may be overlooked by most, but after I watched it, I felt it was very relatable, and actually teaches valuable life lessons.
For one thing, it teaches us a classic parable: be careful what you wish for. Jamie was an only child wishing for less attention, and she got her wish granted... only after her mother had five children.
It also teaches us about finding ourselves and creating an identity. In the movie, Jamie's parents have a plan for her to get into a magnet school specializing in math and science that guarantees admission to college. After the quints are born, Jamie spends less time at home, and more time with her friends at school. One of her friends introduces her to the art club, Jamie joins, and then she discovers she is a great artist. So great that her work gets her into an art show. Because of her newfound love, Jamie finds she doesn't have an interest in going to the magnet school.
The movie is also relatable because Jamie feels overlooked. At some point, we have all felt this way in some aspect of life. We don't get the attention we deserve, and that can be hard on us.
And lastly, the movie teaches us that family comes first. In the movie, the quints' contract with the diaper company absorbs the Grover's lives, and the quints are over worked. So much so that one of them gets sick. The manager of the diaper company pushes the parents to keep partnering with them, proposing that their sick child be put to work. It's at this point the parents realize that the well being of the family is more important, and drop the diaper company.
It just goes to show that there are movies out there that are underrated. They get buried in the dust of time, but when they resurface, it's a pleasant surprise.
