Film Review: Problem Child (1990)

It is quite common for Hollywood film scripts to visit dark places, but is rather rare for such scripts to be supposedly family-friendly comedies. Problem Child, 1990 film directed by Dennis Dugan, provides one of such rare examples.

Protagonist and part-time narrator, played by Michael Oliver, is Junior, 7-year old boy who has spent most of his life without proper parent. While he had been adopted by various couples, all of them would ultimately abandon him after becoming acquainted with his tendency to cause mayhem and destruction. He ended in Catholic orphanage where he continues with his destructive ways in such manner that the nuns are more than happy to see him go when he gets adopted by Benjamin “Ben” Healy Jr. (played by John Ritter) and his infertile wife Florence (played by Amy Yasbeck). Junior soon begins to make life as miserable as possible for Healys’ pet cat, neighbours, their children and Ben’s father Benjamin “Big Ben” Healy Sr. (played by Jack Warden). Despite everything, Ben Jr. desperately tries to reach and show love to the sociopathic boy. But things will get even worse due to Junior previously becoming pen pal with notorious criminal Martin Beck a.k.a. “Bow Tie Killer” (played by Michael Richards). After escaping from prison, Beck comes to Healys’ home expecting to find fellow adult criminal and gets disappointed after finding that Junior is nothing more than misbehaving young boy.

Script for Problem Child represented the debut of Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, screenwriting duo that would have interesting career in subsequent decades. Inspired by real life lawsuit of couple that adopted a child without been warned by agency about serious mental issues, the film, at least for the most part, takes clear stance of Nature in Nature vs. Nurture debate. Junior is portrayed as simply bad person, a little monster that takes sadistic delight not only in destruction, but also in scaring and injuring adults, other children and animals. This is the film’s biggest problem because this is supposed to be comedy and the audience is supposed to root for Junior. Scriptwriters try to solve this problem by making his pranks creative and television actor Dennis Dugan in his directorial debut helps with steady direction. Another solution to this problem is to make some of his victims even less likeable than Junior; for that reason his adopted grandfather is portrayed as greedy hypocrite, while Flo is status-obsessed gold-digger who sees Junior not as her child, but the tool to improve her standing among the neighbourhood. At the same time, film makes fun of infertility, a serious issue that can be quite devastating for many real life couples, sending Problem Child beyond the limits of bad taste.

Young Oliver (who would soon end his career) does solid acting job, but the best work goes to John Ritter who in the end, despite his naivety and momentary slip into homicidal rage against Junior, remains the only likeable character. Problem Child in the end ditches its misanthropy and opts for the Nurture in order to conform of Hollywood conventions. When confronted with adult version of sadistic evil in form of Bow Tie Killer, little Junior finally sees the error of his ways and sees naive and kind-hearted Ben as much more suitable father figure. Decent direction, short running time and some fine acting, especially in the case of Gilbert Gottlieb as sleazy adoption agent, make this film somewhat entertaining but not enough to be recommended for audience which isn’t in the proper frame of mind. Despite being savaged by critics, Problem Child was solid box office hit, got instant sequel in 1991, another television sequel in 1993 and even short-lived animated series in 1993/94 season.

RATING: 4/10 (++)

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