Kindergarten Cop - 1990

Imagine Entertainment, Universal Pictures

Directed by Ivan Reitman

Cast:

• Det. John Kimble – Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Joyce Palmeri – Penelope Ann Miller
• Det. Phoebe O'Hara – Pamela Reed
• Miss Schlowski – Linda Hunt
• Cullen Crisp, Sr. - Richard Tyson
• Eleanor Crisp – Carroll Baker
• Sylvester's Mom – Cathy Moriarty
• Samantha's Mom – Park Overall

Story: A hardcore narcotics detective and his partner go undercover to locate the runaway wife of a drug kingpin and their son in a rural Oregon town. Phoebe O'Hara is to substitute teach the kindergarten class while John Kimble looks around the town for clues. But on the night before they are to take their positions, O'Hara falls ill and Kimble is forced to fill the role as the teacher to the kindergarten class. Miss Schlowski looks on as the children run amok and Kimble almost loses his mind, but O'Hara saves the day, and by the end of the show the kids are loving their new teacher.

Review: Before this, I think everyone thought about Arnold as Conan or the Terminator. And you can hardly blame them. After all, Arnold is the muscular, imposing prototype for the majority of action heroes on the screen today. Even after Twins, Arnold had a lot of resistance to using him in non-action roles. But this role is the one that proved he could be funny and still make a great impresson on the audience and fans alike. Arnold is all the things any action hero would cringe at, polite, gentle, understanding, and even in touch with his feelings. Pamela Reed is the perfect foil for Arnold in this lighthearted comedy with a twist. Her presence on the screen provides just the right amount of pure comedy and tomfoolery to make the less than plausible scenes work. And as usual, she ends up with all the great lines. Penelope Ann Miller is, well, Penelope Ann Miller. Her role as the teacher across the hall from Arnold's class gives the two of them a few occasions to intermingle, but I think Reitman could have made a few more scenes work. Linda Hunt is absolutely delightful as the principal who looks on while this brooding hulk of a man tries to tame the wild children. Cathy Moriarity provides us with a look into the “single parent capital of the west”, and while her role is brief, her input and presence is remarkable. Overall, the film has a buoyancy that allows you to sit through the more placid moments and still want to stay in your seat to see what happens. The real stars are the kids, of course, and I would be remiss not to mention early appearances by Odette Yustman (now Annable), Adam Wylie, and Krystle and Tiffany Mataras, to mention just a few. Rated PG-13 for references to drugs, some language, and some violence, this film is a classic for the kids (I'd say 10 and up, but that is your call) and definitely a keeper for your collection.