Problem Child (1990) Reviews

• Really refreshing!

  buckaroo-62003-05-07

  I really enjoyed this film - which was truly different. To be honest, I'm absolutely fed up with portrays of children (especially in commercials and family movies). Children are always portrayed as so cuuuuuuute and nice - actually, I'm worried about getting tooth decay because of the sweetness involved. Problem Child is just different - the child is a complete evil brat which causes havoc during the whole movie. Basically, the film concentrates on showing the evil side of children - and yes, people, there is a cruelty in children. Do you remember your own childhood? The bully who loved to harass weaker children? How about children treat outsiders, like fat/ugly peers? What about kids torturing animals like flies or frogs? Sure - this comedy is far of and unrealistic, but so are cuuuuuuute and sweet family movies. So - I quite like the movie, it's a black comedy which is a nice counterpoint to sweet & cute comedies like Home Alone. 7 / 10

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• This Is Funny

  Theo Robertson2004-09-12

  I'm not a fan of comedies but any movie that starts with a scene of school children writing to their penpals with the following dialogue : " Dear Queen Elizabeth . How is England ? " " Dear Bishop Tutu . How are you ? " " Dear bow tie serial killer . I have all your newspaper articles " has something going for it , and the best thing about PROBLEM CHILD is the amount of very bad taste comedy . It's almost like a Farrelly Brothers comedy ( THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY , KINGPIN etc ) in both feel and execution . Okay so it's a goofy movie , okay some of the acting is poor , and okay you can see some of the jokes coming a mile away ( Oh a bear costume . I bet a real bear will turn up within the next five minutes ) but I watched it on TV one wet Sunday afternoon and had a few laughs I can't help thinking that the poor response from many forum members might be down to the fact that this was marketed as a " family comedy " . I can just imagine many parents renting this from the video store , taking it home and watching it with their cherubs only to find it features attacks on religion and family pets . I reckon Joe Stalin would have enjoyed this movie as much as I did

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• there is nothing wrong with this movie

  sltrauth2002-04-10

  many people complain that junior gets away with everything and it is not right. if these kinds of things were going on by a real kid in real life, then there would be a problem. i have only four words for those of you who claim it should not be watched due to the example it sets for children. IT IS A MOVIE, not to mention a COMEDY, which are usually not to be taken seriously. if every movie that set a bad example for children was pulled off the shelves, we would have lost many incredible movies. i saw this movie when i was a child, and no i did not go try to do any of the things that junior did. although i was a child, i knew there would be serious consequences for acting as junior did. this is a very entertaining movie which i enjoyed very much. for those of you who who trash talk this movie because "it could be a bad example for children" you might want to get in touch with reality because there is nothing wrong with this movie.

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• This film has its problems but personally I don't think it is that bad

  TheLittleSongbird2010-04-22

  I was expecting to really hate this film, but after seeing it, it wasn't that bad. Yes it was mediocre and crude at times, but absolutely awful, no. There are much worse movies out there, and I will probably be here all night listing them and why they are so bad. I'll drop a few hints, Friedberg-Seltzer movies, Home Alone 4, Cat in the Hat, NeverEnding Story 3 and Superbabies:Baby Geniuses 2 ring a bell? Anyway, the script does have its weak spots, the ending could have been better, Michael Oliver as the truly dysfunctional kid is thoroughly obnoxious at times and the plot is a touch simplistic. That said, it has its good moments, the gags are crude but some of them are amusing, John Ritter is charming in the title role and Gilbert Gottfried is hilarious. The soundtrack ain't half bad either, Amy Yasbeck is effective at playing her character like a total snob,Jack Warden is great and the film is nice to look at. Overall, could have been better but it could have been a hell of a lot worse as well. 6/10 Bethany Cox

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• Funny...even if you don't want to admit it.

  gridoon2002-10-15

  This movie is undeniably tasteless, and toward the end it runs out of steam (one car chase too many). BUT...it's often funny, and that has always been the essential mission of a comedy. By the way, this is NOT primarily a kids' film; kids may get a few laughs out of it, but the more subversive asides ("Maybe if you keep moving your hands like that people will think you actually know what you're talking about") are really intended more for adults. (**)

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