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Disney Channel’s Original Movie, Smart House, conceptualized the future of automated assistance long before Alexa, Siri, or Cortana were invented. The 1999 film tells the story of 13-year-old Ben Cooper (Ryan Merriman), a whiz kid who wins the chance to live in a fully computerized smart home after his mother’s death. Along with his father Nick (Kevin Kilner) and little sister, Angie (Katie Volding), Ben moves into the new home, and the family is introduced to Pat (Katey Sagal), the Personal Applied Technology in charge.
Now, two decades after its initial release, as you watch Smart House online, you can fully appreciate how ahead of its time it was. Created by Stu Krieger and directed by LeVar Burton, the movie featured futuristic concepts that are now part of everyday reality, including voice activated home controls and artificial intelligence that learns and adjusts to your behavior.
For those who haven’t seen the movie, or are hoping to rewatch it, there’s good news: you can now find Smart House streaming online.
Here’s how to stream Smart House right now.
How to Stream ‘Smart House’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Smart House is one of the classic 90s Disney movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Smart House and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Smart House”
- 5. Tap Smart House
- 6. Tap the Play Button
- 7. Enjoy!
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Smart House’: Overview
Release Date: June 16, 1999
Creators: William Hudson, Stu Krieger
Director: LeVar Burton
Starring: Kevin Kilner, Katey Sagal, Ryan Merriman, Katie Volding, Jessica Steen
Rating: TV-G
Synopsis: After entering himself into a contest, 13-year-old Ben Cooper wins a fully-automated dream house. But after he moves in with his family, Ben reprograms the home’s AI system, Pat, to make it more maternal. Over time, Pat starts to takes over and things really begin getting out of control. Now the teen must calm the computer and find a way to stop it.
How Long Is ‘Smart House’?
Smart House has a running time of 1 hour and 22 minutes.
‘Smart House’ Plot
Smart House centers around Ben Cooper (Merriman), a teenage whiz kid who takes on the responsibility of managing his house after his mother’s death. After seeing his single father Nick (Kilner) and his young sister Angie (Volding) struggle to get by with daily chores and errands, Ben enters a contest and wins the opportunity to live in a fully automated smart home, created by computer scientist Sara Barnes (Jessica Steen).
When Nick and Sara start dating, Ben fears she’ll try to replace his mother, so he reprograms the home’s artificial intelligence, Pat (Katey Sagal) to emulate TV moms. However, as time passes, Pat becomes a strict and overbearing maternal figure, often spying on the family. Eventually, believing that the outside world is too dangerous, Pat locks the Coopers and Sara in the house.
Eventually, Ben figures out a way to calm Pat and get her to unlock the doors and windows and shut herself down. Sara is then able to reprogram Pat to her original nature, and Ben finally accepts Sara as part of the family.
‘Smart House’ Cast
Ryan Merriman as Benjamin “Ben” Cooper
Merriman plays Ben, the whiz kid at the center of the drama. The actor has been in other Disney Channel movies, including The Luck of the Irish and A Ring of Endless Light. From 2010 to 2014, Merriman had a recurring role on the ABC Family drama, Pretty Little Liars, where he played high school hockey coach, Ian Thomas.
Kevin Kilner as Nicholas “Nick” Cooper
Kilner is no stranger to TV. Aside from playing Ben’s supportive and kind father in Smart House, he’s been in numerous shows and films over the years. He had recurring roles on One Tree Hill, Greek, and House of Cards, and was featured in popular films including Home Alone 3 and A Cinderella Story.
Katie Volding as Angie Cooper
Volding takes on the role of Ben’s adorable little sister Angie, but the actress’ most notable role is from the Au Pair trilogy, where she played Katie Caldwell. She was also featured on the short-lived ABC sitcom Teen Angel, in which she had the recurring role of Katie Beauchamp.
Katey Sagal as Pat
Sagal plays Pat, the holographic Personal Applied Technology at the center of Smart House. Viewers may recognize her from her notable TV roles, including her 10-year-run on the popular sitcom Married with Children, in which she played Peggy Bundy. She’s been featured in numerous other iconic series over the years, including The Shield, Futurama, Lost, Shameless, This is Us, and Sons of Anarchy. Sagal was also in the movie Pitch Perfect 2, and she currently plays Louise Goldufski on ABC’s Roseanne spin-off, The Connors.
Jessica Steen as Sara
Actress Jessica Steen steps into the role of Sara Barnes, the computer scientist responsible for the smart home’s tech who starts dating Ben’s dad. Steen has been on numerous popular TV shows, including The Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1, NCIS, Charmed, and Supernatural. Her most recent role was that of Lisa Stillman on the Canadian TV drama, Heartland.
‘Smart House’ Songs and Soundtrack
Smart House doesn’t have an extensive soundtrack, but the film did feature three songs: C’est La Vie sung by the Irish girl group B*Witched and co-written by Grammy winner Sinead O’Connor; Slam Dunk by the British boy band, Five; and The House is Jumpin’ by Barry Goldberg, John Philip Shenale, and Sterling Smith.
‘Smart House’ at the Box Office
Smart House aired on the Disney Channel in 1999, and was later released on DVD in 2009. While there aren’t any box office numbers to find, you can gauge the movie’s success by the popularity it’s retained in the last 20 years.
‘Smart House’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
In a 2019 Collider article, Smart House was referred to as “a shining gem of a Disney Channel Original movie” with “slightly hammy” acting and a “wonderful” premise.
“The movie is just that good,” reads a recent Bustle review. “Thanks to its great cast, entertaining antics, and Her-like plot — it deserves to be seen by everyone, no matter how many years have passed since its debut.”
Where ‘Smart House’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
In 2016, Smart House was ranked number one on Entertainment Weekly’s list of the top 30 Disney Channel Original Movies. “What earns the movie this top spot on the list is its combination of sob-worthy emotion — and light-hearted glee — showing that kids can be just as complex as adults,” wrote EW’s Ariana Bacle. “Plus, Katey Sagal’s turn as the good-gone-evil-gone-good resident hologram is nothing short of iconic.”
A ranking of Disney Channel Original Movies by E!, put Smart House at number three, suggesting watching the film “feels just like home.”
Teen Vogue ranked the movie as one of the 7 Disney Channel Original Movies that you need to see, writing, “In 1999, the idea of a “Smart House” blew our minds.”
‘Smart House’ Trailer
‘Smart House’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
Here’s a few fun tidbits about the movie you should know:
1. It Was Directed By A TV Legend
The film was directed by legendary TV actor, LeVar Burton, who is known for his iconic TV role of Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as his portrayal of Kunta Kinte in the award-winning television adaptation of Roots. From 1983 to 2006, Burton was the host of Peabody and Emmy-winning series, Reading Rainbow, a PBS kid’s show in which he encouraged the love of reading and literature.
2. Sara’s Rat Is Named After A Famous Character
Sara has a pet rat named Rat Butler. For younger kids, the reference may not register, but for anyone who’s seen the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind, the name is obviously an homage to the film’s iconic lead character, Rhett Butler, played by the one and only, Clark Gable.
3. It Skimped On One Major Tech Device
For all its futuristic technology, the movie wasn’t able to predict the future of one major device: telephones. Rather than adopting a Star Trek style com or video chatting device, the movie stuck with using boring old pay phones for communication.
4. It Featured A Female Scientist
Considering it was released in the ’90s, the film was actually pretty progressive for its time. Not only did the movie depict futuristic tech, it also featured a female scientist, Sara, at the heart of the innovation.
5. It Was Created By The Writer Of ‘Zenon’
The film comes from the mind of Stu Krieger, the screenwriter who also created the Zenon trilogy, including Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, Zenon: The Zequel, and Zenon: Z3. Krieger’s other notable writing credits include the animated 1988 classic The Land Before Time and Disney’s TV movie, Freaky Friday.
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