Sleepover

Julie Corky, on the cusp of starting high school, gathers her best friends Hannah, Yancy, and Farrah for one final summer sleepover. The night spirals into a dare-filled caper as the quartet tries to shed their nerdy labels by playing a citywide scavenger hunt against their chic rivals. What begins as a simple prank becomes a test of loyalty, ingenuity, and nerve as they race through neighborhoods, sneak into nightclubs, borrow cars, and improvise on the fly. Along the way, Julie grapples with popularity and authenticity, while Gabby Corky, Julie's mom, offers a grounded counterpoint to the chaos. The adrenaline climbs, but so do the laughs and the bonds that keep them together.

Sleepover, released in 2004, was directed by Joe Nussbaum from an original screenplay by Elisa Bell. The lighthearted teen comedy features Alexa PenaVega, Mika Boorem, Sara Paxton and Jane Lynch, produced with a budget of about $10 million.

Critics offered mixed notices, praising the film’s brisk energy and the chemistry among its young cast, while writing off the plotting as familiar territory for teen comedies. The story wrestles with adolescence, the pressure to fit in, and the value of true friendship over social standing, with solid turns by PenaVega and Boorem helping the jokes land for family audiences.

Sleepover sits among a wave of 2000s girl centered comedies that celebrate friendship and independence. Its easygoing tone and relatable characters helped keep teen cinema accessible for younger viewers, while the scavenger hunt premise influenced later teen adventures. The cast, especially PenaVega and Lynch, remains a touchstone for fans of the era.

Awards: Sleepover did not receive major nominations and did not win major awards. It did, however, appear in rounds of smaller industry recognitions, mirroring its status as a light family comedy rather than a prestige title. The film's emphasis on friendship over trend remained its lasting appeal.