Problem Child (1990)
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4% of critics liked it
(24 reviews) -
43% of users liked it
(55,386 ratings)
An adoptive parent discovers that some children are given up by their biological parents for very good reasons in this dark comedy. Ben Healy (John Ritter) is a pleasant but brow-beaten yuppie working for his father Big Ben (Jack Warden), a tyrannical sporting goods dealer. Ben would love to have a… More An adoptive parent discovers that some children are given up by their biological parents for very good reasons in this dark comedy. Ben Healy (John Ritter) is a pleasant but brow-beaten yuppie working for his father Big Ben (Jack Warden), a tyrannical sporting goods dealer. Ben would love to have a son, but his wife Flo (Amy Yasbeck) has been unable to conceive. Ben approaches less-than-scrupulous adoption agent Igor Peabody (Gilbert Gottfried) with his dilemma, and Igor presents Ben and Flo with a cute seven-year-old boy, Junior (Michael Oliver). However, Junior is hardly a model child; mean-spirited and incorrigible, the child leaves a path of serious destruction in his wake, and is even pen pals with Martin Beck (Michael Richards), a notorious serial killer. After the cat ends up in the hospital, the house catches on fire, and Junior displays his effective but unethical method for winning in Little League, Ben is having serious doubts about Junior when Beck escapes from jail and decides to kidnap his faithful correspondent, along with Junior's new mom. Problem Child proved to be a major box office success, spawning two sequels and a TV series. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Dennis Dugan, Robert Simonds
- Genres
- Comedy, Kids & Family
- In Theaters
- Jul 27, 1990 Wide
- On DVD
- Oct 19, 1999
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
Some kids are born bad. Others achieve badness. And some have badness thrust upon them. The same can be said of movies.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Tribune
Inside Dennis Dugan's uncertainly staged, awkwardly sentimental Problem Child is another movie fighting to get out-one that's much meaner and probably more interesting.
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Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
The rest of the kid's tricks are too unimaginative to be much fun -- though with jokes this lame you won't have to worry as much about your children getting any bad ideas.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Universal took a step in the right direction by whittling Problem Child down to just 81 minutes but didn't go far enough. The studio should have excised another 75 minutes and released this unbelievable mess as a short.
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, Time Out
Enough to make you gag.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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John Ritter
as Ben Healy
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Michael Oliver
as Junior
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Amy Yasbeck
as Flo Healy
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Gilbert Gottfried
as Mr. Igor Peabody
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Jack Warden
as Big Ben Healy Sr.
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Michael Richards
as Martin Beck
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Peter Jurasik
as Roy
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Charlotte Akin
as Lorraine
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Anna Marie Allred
as Kid #3
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Adam Anderly
as Catcher
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Robert A. Anderson
as Boy in Chair
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Cody Beard
as Second Baseman
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Jordan Burton
as Kid #1
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Eli Cummins
as Umpire
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Vince Davis
as Clown
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Justin Elledge
as Freddy
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Eric Elterman
as All-American Boy
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Ward Emling
as Mr. Henderson
- June Foray
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John William Galt
as Warden
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Corki Grazer
as Sister Mary
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Vernon Grote
as Guard #2
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Philip Hjin
as Mr. Yangita
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Helena Humann
as Mother Superior
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Melody Jones
as Sister Abigail
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Danny Kamekona
as Mr. Hirohito
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Eiichi Edward Kawanbe
as Mr. Mitsui
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Colby Kline
as Lucy
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Josef Kolb
as Kid No. 5
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Hugh Lampman
as Master of Ceremonies
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Ellen F. Locy
as Nun #2
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Kristen Lowman
as Mrs. Henderson
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Joshua Martin
as Shortstop
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Melissa Martin
as Friend No. 1
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Willie Minor
as Guard #1
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Norma Moore
as Sister Samantha
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Kristy Lynne Patrick
as Kid #2
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Eric Poppick
as Dr. Strauss
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Dennis Redfield
as Cameraman
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Lico Reyes
as Pedro
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Shaun Shimoda
as Kinjo Hirohito
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Garry Smith
as Angry Little Person
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Josh Stoppelwerth
as Kid #4
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Al Trejo
as Policeman
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Alex Utroska
as Kid in Dugout
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Kerry Von Erich
as Neo Natzi
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Jack Willis
as Regular Joe
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Ed Yeager
as Jim O'Conner
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Jessica Zucha
as Serious Girl
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Dennis Dugan
as All-American Dad
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Florence Schauffler
as Mrs. Perkins
- Nancy Nayor
- Valerie McCaffrey
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John S. Davies
as Paramedic
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Judy Jones
as Anchorperson
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John O'Connell
as Psychiatrist

