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Poster for Problem Child

Problem Child

Attila the Hun. Ivan the Terrible. Al Capone. They were all seven once.

1990 · 1h 21m · PG Comedy, Family
Directed by Dennis Dugan

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Overview

Ben Healy and his social climbing wife Flo adopt fun-loving seven year old Junior. But they soon discover he's a little monster as he turns a camping trip, a birthday party and even a baseball game into comic nightmares.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
Rotten

Sound funny? The filmmakers here think so. 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.

Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times
Rotten

Some kids are born bad. Others achieve badness. And some have badness thrust upon them. The same can be said of movies.

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
Rotten

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.

Dave Kehr, Chicago Tribune
Rotten

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.

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Rotten

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.

Variety Staff, Variety

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