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The Pacifier

The Pacifier

Welcome to the infantry.

200595 minPGMidcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
Adam Shankman
Starring
Vin Diesel, Lauren Graham, Faith Ford, Brittany Snow

Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe is handed a new assignment: Protect the five Plummer kids from enemies of their recently deceased father -- a government scientist whose top-secret experiment remains hidden in the kids' house.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Pacifier?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Pacifier streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Pacifier?

The Pacifier earns 7 badges, led by Box Office Hit and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Pacifier worth watching?

The Pacifier's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 312K ratings across 6 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

45th percentile among Action30th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)33rd
Approval (how many liked it)29th

56 /100

33rd percentile of all films

49th percentile among Action33rd percentile among 2000s

Critics 30 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

43rd percentile among Action26th percentile among 2000s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Critics 21% · Audience 58%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 9 noms overall

97th percentile

312K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$56M
Opening weekend$31M
Domestic gross$113M
Worldwide gross$199M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

This is a formulaic family comedy where a tough military man is domesticated by unruly children, offering simple, broad humor rather than originality or depth.

Fans praised

  • Vin Diesel's comedic timing and willingness to parody his tough-guy image
  • Family-friendly entertainment that works as harmless fun for viewers of all ages
  • Kid cast performances, especially Morgan York as Lulu, who steal scenes

Detractors panned

  • Wholly unoriginal, a lazy rehash of Kindergarten Cop with no fresh ideas
  • Lowbrow, predictable humor relying heavily on diaper jokes and slapstick
  • Vin Diesel's wooden delivery and lack of comic instinct; his performance is boring

What stands out

Pacing50

Quick 95-minute runtime; some call it snappy, others tedious

Emotional impactDivisive45

Heartwarming moments hit for some, ring hollow and saccharine for others

ActingDivisive40

Vin Diesel's performance splits viewers: fans see charming self-parody, detractors find it wooden

HumorDivisive30

Wide gap: fans find it harmless fun, detractors call it painfully unfunny

Characters30

Kids are one-note archetypes; Lulu is singled out as the lone memorable character

Plot and story25

Predictable, contrived recycling of fish-out-of-water formula

Originality15

Derivative, a formulaic retread of Kindergarten Cop and Mr. Nanny

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 16 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Pacifier like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulThrillingMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its fish-out-of-water premise straight, letting the comedy come from the clash between military discipline and family chaos rather than from winking at the audience.
The rideThe film balances lighthearted family comedy with mild action and occasional moments of grief, maintaining an upbeat but not frantic tone.
StructureThe film follows a conventional three-act structure: setup of the mission, the chaotic middle as he learns to parent, and a final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a warm, lighthearted feeling from Wolfe's successful integration into the family and the community's celebration.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% (this title) · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Fish out of water: Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).

4% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe core story follows a Navy SEAL dropped into the utterly unfamiliar domestic world of caring for five children, with a secondary spy plot where enemies infiltrate the household.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsDuty · 2% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a tough Navy SEAL learning to care for and protect a grieving family, ultimately finding a new sense of belonging and purpose.
StanceThe film celebrates the idea that family bonds can be formed even in unexpected circumstances, with the hero choosing a domestic life over his military career.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalPopSupportive music · original score · John Debney
SettingA suburban family home in Bethesda, Maryland, and a local school.
MusicThe score uses a playful orchestral sound with tender family moments, and the film includes a performance of songs from The Sound of Music.

Content guide

Is The Pacifier okay for kids?

PG

The Pacifier is rated PG: “Rated PG for action violence, language and rude humor” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (29/100), sexual content at mild (24/100), language at mild (26/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (9/100) and frightening material at mild (29/100). Overall it is heavier than 21% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • JapanPG12
  • South KoreaALL
  • Brazil10
  • Austria6
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands6
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • SpainA
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 6% of all filmsHeavier than 21% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 33%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 54%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 48%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 16%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 32%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 33% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Pacifier have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Pacifier?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Vin Diesel
as Shane Wolfe
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lauren Graham
as Claire Fletcher
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Faith Ford
as Julie Plummer
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Brittany Snow
as Zoe Plummer
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Max Thieriot
as Seth Plummer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Chris Potter
as Bill Fawcett
Carol Kane
as Helga
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Brad Garrett
as Dwayne Murney
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Morgan York
as Lulu Plummer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tate Donovan
as Howard Plummer

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Pacifier?

Movies like The Pacifier include Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005), Yours, Mine & Ours (2005) and Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Adam Shankman, and most are family adventures.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Pacifier?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: protector on a journey. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.