Rating of
3/4
A very cute movie
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/02/08
The tough loner cop "Police Detective John Kimble" (Arnold Schwarzenegger)has spent much of his 12-year career chasing wanted drug dealer "Cullen Crisp" (Richard Tyson). He finally gets "Crisp" in front of a judge, however, the charges are dropped when the star witness refuses to testify. "Kimble" is forced to team-up with "Detective Pheobe O'Hara" (Pamela Reed) to go undercover and search for "Crisp's" ex-wife and son, who are hiding from him in Astoria, Oregon.
"O'Hara", who was to go to the school where "Crisp's" son is attending as a kindergarten teacher, which she use to do for a living, but the detective, who is hypoglycemic, falls very ill just as they arrive at Astoria, and "Kimble" has to take her place.
"Kimble" is slow to adapt to his cover, but eventually the children warm up to him. Also warming up to him is fellow teacher "Joyce" (Penelope Ann Miller), whose son "Dominic" (Christian and Joseph Cousins) is in his class.
Eventually, "Crisp" and his mother (Caroll Baker) learn of his ex-wife's whereabouts, and the two cops have to blow their cover to her to save the mother and son before "Crisp" takes his son by force.
This is an extremely cute movie, but the comedic parts are lacking before and after "Kimble" gains the trust of the kindergarteners. The movie could have been a little more campy throughout in my opinion.
Some of the best parts in the film are the scenes where Schwarzenegger is teaching the kids real values that real kindergarten teachers probably wouldn't. In my opinion, Schwarzenegger and the kids had the best on-screen chemistry. The chemistry between "Kimble" and "Joyce", as well as "Kimble" and "O'Hara" could have been a little better though.
Surprisingly, for a Schwarzenegger movie, there isn't a lot of action and violence that many of his movies are known for. But, what this movie does perfectly, is that for a good chunk of the film, it keeps you guessing on which kid is the one the two cops are searching for.
The minor characters, as well as the villains, are not written well, but help move the plot along fairly nicely.
The director does a good job at changing the way the movie looks. It starts off as a typical cop movie starring Schwarzenegger, but changes into a more family-oriented movie.
There is some drama and predictable suspense in this film. In many scenes, both could have been used a little better in the film.
In my opinion, this is a real cute family movie that would be a real good rental for a family night at the movies.
