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Kindergarten Cop
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Action | Comedy | Crime | Family/Kids | Suspense/Thriller
Written by:
Murray Salem (& story)
Herschel Weingrod
Timothy Harris
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Release Date:
Theatrical: December 21, 1990
DVD: January 20, 1998
Running Time: 111 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for strong violence, some drug references, and language
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt, Richard Tyson, and Carroll Baker
An undercover cop must pose as a kindergarten teacher in order to catch a dangerous criminal. Once he wrangles his young charges, as well as the affections of a beautiful teacher, he prepares for a final showdown with his intended prey in this action-comedy. (Universal Studios)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Evolution Ghostbusters II My Super Ex-Girlfriend Six Days Seven Nights Twins
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
Arnold Schwarzenegger's enjoyable but not hugely special Kindergarten Cop - has a whole roomful of the little tykes making genital jokes and constantly having to go to the bathroom. [21 Dec 1990, p.7]
Washington Post Joe Brown
The Great Stone Man never looks more alien than when he smiles, but the expression starts to become him, and as he grows more human through his contact with the kids, Schwarzenegger begins to exude actual warmth.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Rita Kempley
Part cop caper, part coo-fest, it is a feel-good movie, a jolly little button-pusher about a street-smart cop who brings law and order to a classroom full of unruly but adorable youngsters.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Kindergarten Cop was directed by Ivan Reitman, whose best work shows an ability to mix the absurd with the dramatic, so we're laughing as the suspense reaches its peak.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
Kindergarten Cop finds Arnold up to his old tricks, which will be exactly what his fans will want to know. But it's tough on kids and may make more than a few feel uncomfortable. [21 Dec 1990, p.51]
Chicago Tribune Dave Kehr
Kindergarten Cop never feels mercenary in the manner of, say, "Look Who's Talking Too" or "Three Men and a Little Lady." It is, instead, an extremely amiable, good-hearted film, unashamed of its desire to please and quite entertaining for it. [21 Dec 1990, p.B]
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jay Scott
Kindergarten Cop is fast, loud and obvious, but there are unexpectedly delicate touches. [21 Dec 1990, p.C10]
San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
The surprise is that Kindergarten Cop is delightful and entertaining, a cop movie with suspense, no blood and a lot of genuine warmth. The script is intelligent and plays to the unique strengths of Schwarzenegger as a star. [21 Dec 1990, p.E1]
TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)
Kindergarten Cop is actually fairly entertaining, buoyed by Schwarzenegger's self-deprecating charm and easy chemistry with his capable costar, Pamela Reed, and the hammiest bunch of tykes ever assembled for a movie.
Read Full Review >Empire Kim Newman
As a one-off this could have inoffensively scraped by on thin charm alone. But don't forget kids, it gave rise to such monstrosities as Last Action Hero, Junior and Jingle all the Way…
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
The strange thing about Kindergarten Cop is how quickly it abandons its own concept. No sooner has Arnold gotten into class than he's yanked back into the mechanics of the movie's generic thriller plot. Perhaps this wouldn't be as noticeable if there were a few more sparks between Schwarzenegger and the kids.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Staff (Not Credited)
This is "high concept" moviemaking at its most relentless, but it has a few chuckles, and Linda Hunt pulls off some fine moments in a small role. Ivan Reitman directed, by the numbers. [15 Mar 1991]
The New York Times Caryn James
No one laughs at Arnold Schwarzenegger better than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. In Kindergarten Cop, he plays off the Schwarzenegger image more gleefully and successfully than ever before. That is not quite enough to save the movie from its lame, predictable script.
Read Full Review >Variety Staff (Not Credited)
The polished comic vision that gave Twins, Arnold Schwarzenegger's comedy breakthrough, a storybook shine completely eludes director Ivan Reitman here. Result is a mish-mash of violence, psycho-drama and lukewarm kiddie comedy.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
It would be lying not to say that some of the moviemakers here aren't working at the top of their craft, or that the movie won't reach audiences. On its own terms, Kindergarten Cop is nearly fool-proof: the last word in glib, shallow, soulless, spuriously warm-hearted commercialism. [21 Dec 1990, p.1]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.6 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
