YMMV / Smart House

• Foe Yay Shipping: Ryan seems a little bit too obsessed with Ben. He goes out of his way to go to his party and bother him, and even delivers this questionable line:
  Gwen: For your information, Ryan, I happen to like Ben. A lot.
  Ryan: So do I. (puts hand on Ben's shoulder) On his back. Begging for mercy.
• He Really Can Act: Ryan Merriman's performance during the scene where Ben watches old videos of his mom is considered by many to be some of the best acting in any Disney Channel Original Movie. Naturally, Merriman went on to star in at least two more DCOMs, The Luck of the Irish and A Ring of Endless Light, and is one of the few DCOM stars who's gone on to have a steady adult career.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • Or Harsher in Hindsight depending on how you look at it. This movie's portrayal of technology is surprisingly prophetic, from PAT's similarities to Siri or Alexa, to the rise of Apple TV (which allows syncing with phones and has Siri on it), as well as the rise of invasive online tracking.
  • The Black Mirror Christmas Episode "White Christmas" has a smart house run by an AI, but in a much more unsettling and Nightmare Fuel-riffic sense. Indeed, some have likened this movie to that of a kid-friendly, prototypical edition of Black Mirror.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • As soon as PAT develops a mind of its own, it/she gets so possessive and jealous of Sara possibly taking over her role that she turns into a real person. Sorta. Scariest part is watching her hold the family hostage, hide the keys, shut out sunlight and then say she can simulate fresh air and that they only need each other. When they consistently object, she then turns into a tornado and basically attempts to hurt them to put them back in their places, "for their own goods"! While singing "Hush, Little Baby", no less!
  • After hearing Nick say "Who needs PAT anyhow?", PAT reactivates herself with the word "SYSTEM-SHUTDOWN OVERRIDE" and as her server room activates again, you hear her shout: "'WHO NEEDS PAT ANYHOW'?!". Yikes.
• Tear Jerker:
  • Seeing Ben watch old videos of his mom taken before she died and watching him cry because he misses her... you'd have to have a heart of stone to not feel for the poor kid. Especially seeing as this is after he got beat up.
    PAT: (in a somber tone after seeing him watch the videos) Data downloaded and received.
  • Pat realizing she can't be a mother to Ben when her hand passes right through him.
    PAT: You didn't feel that, did you?
    Ben: No.
  • And it's made worse when PAT realizes her mistake and allows herself to be shut down. Ala digital rain...
    Angie: PAT's crying.
  • Ben arguing with Nick over him dating Sara, leading to Nick saying, "YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO LOST SOMEONE, BEN!".
• Unintentional Period Piece: This movie was released in 1999 and contains many pop culture and lifestyle references set to that time period. Nick owns an iMac computer that runs on dial-up, BWitched makes an appearance, and all the characters' fashion is very reminiscent of the late 90s.
• The Woobie: Ben, and if you wanna go further, Nick. The above tropes aside, it's obvious Ben is struggling to come to terms with the death of his mother and does everything his mother used to do when she was around, and his reasoning for getting the Smart House was to lessen that burden and much later on, make PAT like a mother. Nick is this as well due to not being that close to his kids due to work and is also grieving his late wife, slowly trying to move on and be with Sara despite Ben's disdain towards her.