Kindergarten Cop

(1990)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Written by Murry Salem (story & screenplay), Herschel Weingrod (screenplay), Timothy Harris (screenplay)
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt, Carroll Baker, Richard Tyson
IMDB Entry

Arnold Schwarzenegger made his name as an action-adventure hero.  But, when given the chance, he showed a fine talent for comedy.* One of his better comic  vehicles is Kindergarten Cop.

John Kimble (Arnold) is a cop looking for the estranged wife of a LA drug dealer (Richard Tyson). With his partner Phoebe O’Brien (Pamela Reed), he goes to Astoria, Oregon where O’Brien goes undercover as a substitute kindergarten teacher.  When she becomes sick, John is forced to substitute for her, though he quickly finds the five-year-olds are often more wild than the most hardened criminal. School principal Miss Schlowski (Linda Hunt) is skeptical of Kimble’s abilities.

The movie is not breaking new ground. Kimble finds the woman he’s looking for, and the big bad shows up and has to be dealt with. It depends on the acting to make  it fresh.

Arnold was never mistaken for an actor with a lot of range,** but he clearly understands his image, as well  as comedy in general. Many of the jokes play off his tough-guy image as he faced with dealing with children.

The supporting roles are well cast. Linda Hunt plays the no-nonsense boss with a soft interior as well as anyone in film and the kids are a delight. They act very naturally and the effect is charming.  Pamala Reed has been a favorite of mine since I spotted her in Eyewitness, but never seemed to get the breakthrough she deserved. She’s worked steadily, but here she disappears for most of the film.***

The movie was a success. This isn’t surprising. Director Ivan Reitman was the king of 80s comedies, including Ghostbusters, Meatballs, Stripes, Dave, and Junior and was still at the top of his game. Of course, Arnold continued to be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

It’s a charming film that’s still fun to watch.

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*It may be a part of his success as an action hero.

**Though his accent probably limits him.

***Oddly, her Wikipedia page lists this as the first role she is known for.