Problem Child (1990)

• Year: 1990
• Released: 27 Jul 1990
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100419/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/problem_child
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/problem-child
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: PG
• Genre: Comedy, Family
• Runtime: 81 min
• Writer: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
• Director: Dennis Dugan
• Cast: Michael Oliver, John Ritter, Jack Warden
• Keywords: serial killer, kidnapping, dark comedy, 1990s, slapstick,

	5.4/10
	27/100
	0% – Critics
	42% – Audience

Problem Child Storyline

Meet Ben and Flo Healy! They want a young child of their own, but Flo is incapable of having a child herself. Enter Junior, a little monster who has been to foster parents’ homes since he was a baby and always made himself get thrown out so one day he goes to the orphanage and causes trouble for the poor nuns (although some of them deserved it). So Ben and Flo go to adopt a child and the administrator, Peabody, cons them into taking Junior off their hands. Junior goes home with the Healys to a nice house which includes a bedroom full of clowns! Ben takes an immediate love to his son, no matter what the horrible things he does, even though he injured his grandfather, a bigoted politician, really turned a birthday party into a “blast”, sicks a bear onto campers on a camping trip, and even goes on a joyride with convicted killer Martin Beck!

Problem Child Play trailer

Problem Child Photos

Problem Child Torrents Download

Problem Child Subtitles Download

Problem Child Movie Reviews

Here’s Daddy!!!!!

The 90s were certainly cluttered with those “‘fill in the blank’ from Hell” movies. (The Best Friend from Hell (“Single White Female”), the Temp Employee from Hell (“The Temp”), etc.) Here at the beginning of the decade, we got this “kid from Hell” flick from the writers of “Ed Wood”, and it is indeed like a comic spin on “The Bad Seed”. Michael Oliver (what ever happened to him?) plays “Junior”, a thoroughly obnoxious devil-child who often makes life miserable for people, including his new adoptive parents, Ben (John Ritter) and Flo (Amy Yasbeck). Yet underneath that ultra-bratty exterior does lurk a kid who’s crying out for love and attention.

In that sense, this viewer wonders how it would have played if Junior were *completely* unrepentant and never revealed any inkling towards sensitivity or vulnerability. Not all children in real life are perfect little angels, after all. It might have been refreshing, but this being a Hollywood movie, we have to have that glimmer of hope and, ultimately, that happy ending.

Undeniably, “Problem Child” can be crude and childish, but it’s still fitfully amusing what with its outrageous gags. In one twisted touch, Junior thinks psycho-killer / sleaze ball Martin Beck (a scenery devouring Michael “Kramer” Richards) is a cool guy to emulate, and becomes pen pals with him.

Basically, if one can tolerate the variety of disagreeable characters here, they may get through the movie. Ben is a typical Nice Guy who tries his mightiest to be patient, but he’s also kind of a dope. It takes a lot before he snaps. Flo is a superficial wannabe social climber. Ben’s dad (Jack Warden) is a crass jerk (and sporting goods magnate) running for mayor. There are snooty kids who raise Juniors’ ire. And, of course, we have Gilbert Gottfried on hand for good measure.

Some of the more entertaining gags occur at the birthday party; overall, “Problem Child” does have its moments. The closing theme song was performed by the Beach Boys, of all people.

Followed by two sequels, the second made for TV.

Six out of 10.

One of my guilty pleasures

“Problem Child”, according to many, is a horrible film in most every way. The film is apparently not good for kids to watch because of all the evil and nasty things Junior does and it has a metascore of 27 and an IMDB score of 5.3….both of which are pretty bad. Despite all this, I somehow like the film…which would make many of my friends and family doubt my sanity. Call it a guilty pleasure!

The story is about a boy who is thoroughly rotten and spends most of the film tormenting those around him…even after he’s adopted from the orphanage by a nice but incredibly naive man (John Ritter). Afterwards, the new dad ends up spending most of the movie apologizing to everyone for the atrocities the kid committed.

For me, I loved watching most of the vile and awful things Junior did…which is NOT typical, I know. The problem I had with the film was the ending. While Junior was like Charles Manson Jr. throughout the story, the schmaltzy ending simply didn’t ring true in the least. You would think Junior would love traveling the country committing acts of terror with his pen pal, an escaped maniac from prison! For this reason, I give the film a 6…and had the ending been better I would have scored it higher. I know, I know….I should be ashamed of myself for liking this mostly heartless story…but I am not.

unlikeable characters in unfunny comedy

A baby is left on a woman’s doorstep. However it doesn’t go well and the baby keeps getting pass along. Junior (Michael Oliver) is a real problem child. Even the nuns can’t take him. Ben (John Ritter) and Flo Healy (Amy Yasbeck) are completely 100% infertile. His father Big Ben Healy (Jack Warden) sells the sporting goods store and is leaving him with nothing. He would love to adopt but Florence is selfish who only agrees to adopt so that she can join other parents at parties. Adoption agent Igor Peabody (Gilbert Gottfried) cons the Healys into taking Junior. Junior is a pen pal to prison inmate The Bow Tie Killer Martin Beck (Michael Richards). Then Beck escapes from prison and shows up at their door.

Junior isn’t funny or cute or anything. Ritter is reacting. Yasbeck is annoying. It’s not funny at all and it’s basically the same joke over and over again anyways. It tries to have heart but it doesn’t work. There is nobody to care about. This dark comedy needs a better child actor and a more interesting sense of humor. Him taking a bat to everybody is actually good but it’s a rare smirk worthy joke.