Problem Child

Name: Problem Child
Genre: Comedy, Family
Released: July 27, 1990
Duration: 81 min
Rating: 27
Cast: John Ritter, Michael Oliver

1990

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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Problem Child

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: July 27, 1990 | PG

Starring: John Ritter, Michael Oliver

Summary: A young boy wreaks havoc on the lives of his adoptive parents.

Director: Dennis Dugan

Genre(s): Comedy, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 81 min

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Critic Reviews

Hal Hinson

Dugan has a brisk, imaginative comic style; he sets up his gags well, so that there's still some surprise in the punch lines when they come. Read full review

Peter Stack

Problem Child is a beautiful example of what junk entertainment can be with a smattering of brains behind it. While it hangs there as a monument to audience idiocy, it also lets you have a wallow in fun. You leave thinking there have been worse things on which to spend your time and money. [28 July 1990, p.C3]

Ted Mahar

Problem Child has moments, or perhaps instants, of misanthropic satire. There also are stroboscopically brief flashes of psychological irony or cleverness. [30 July 1990, p.D8]

Susan Wloszczyna

But Problem Child's biggest problem is its young star, 8-year-old Michael Oliver. You tend to take such natural child actors as Dick Tracy's Charlie Korsmo for granted until one comes along who should be delivering newspapers instead of movie lines. [30 July 1990]

Bill Cosford

There are jokes in this story of a 7-year-old adoptee from Heck, but most of them are funny despite the clumsiness of their telling. The rest aren't funny at all. [1 Aug 1990, p.D7]

Michael Wilmington

They've jacked this loud, lame shrieker of a movie up to the highest decibels, both aural and visual, and rammed it in our faces with almost numbing aplomb. Read full review

Staff [Not Credited]

The film marks an atrocious bigscreen debut for actor and episodic TV director Dennis Dugan. Read full review

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User Reviews

meydianarizki21

Apr 26, 2023

I just love this movie!
Problem Child may get hammered by critics for being too infantile but I can watch it over and over without getting tired. I can't say that about most Oscar winning movies. Problem Child introduced the excellent John Ritter to Amy Yasbeck. This movie brought themI just love this movie!
Problem Child may get hammered by critics for being too infantile but I can watch it over and over without getting tired. I can't say that about most Oscar winning movies. Problem Child introduced the excellent John Ritter to Amy Yasbeck. This movie brought them together in real life. I love John Ritter and now that he is gone, the movie is more sentimental to remind us what is lost forever. Of course, Problem Child has a great cast besides Ritter and Yasbeck, like Jack Warden as Ritter's father and of course the devilish Michael Oliver as Junior getting into all sorts of trouble. Not to mention Gilbert Gottfried as the adoption agent and Seinfeld's Michael Richards before he became known as Kramer as the serial killer pen pal of Junior's. I mean it is silly but I appreciate it at the end of a long day. Of course, it's funny and it reminds us what John Ritter meant to the world of comedy… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

lukechristiansc

Dec 27, 2014

Problem Child is an outrageous funny 90's family-fun comedy. Micheal Oliver a crude,funny,vulgar boy giving a performance that'll give the adults and teens chuckles and laughs. And this movie is Adam Sandler's director Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore), directorial debut. Dugan is one ofProblem Child is an outrageous funny 90's family-fun comedy. Micheal Oliver a crude,funny,vulgar boy giving a performance that'll give the adults and teens chuckles and laughs. And this movie is Adam Sandler's director Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore), directorial debut. Dugan is one of America's worst comedy directors he is so detached to comedy instead of what a director should do hire good actors, making your visions come true! Dugan does the opposite of a good film into a bad one. Grade C+… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EpicLadySponge

Feb 5, 2016

Problem Child's unlovable and mean. Also terrible and unfunny.... Problem Child's biggest problem is the many immaturity this child's up to. This movie's not even comedy.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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