Amazon.com video review:
This winning 1990 comedy stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in an
initially self-deprecating role as a grizzled, big-city cop who goes
undercover as a small-town kindergarten teacher to nab a killer. One
of the best films of director Ivan Reitman (Dave), this comedy
(with some thriller elements) went a long way to further soften and
broaden Schwarzenegger's image after Reitman worked with him in the
gentle Twins. But
Kindergarten Cop is genuinely touching, the story of a hard man
who visibly finds his true passion and soul by leaving behind the rot
of urban crime. Penelope Ann Miller is a delight as the love interest,
Pamela Reed is wonderful as Arnold's cop partner, old pro Carroll
Baker is quite nasty as the villain's evil mother, and Linda
Hunt--whose diminutive stature makes for quite a contrast with
Schwarzenegger when they share scenes--is entertaining as a tough
principal. Upon its release, some people assumed the title meant this
is a good movie for little kids, but it isn't. The DVD release
features production notes, biographies, highlights, theatrical
trailer, Dolby sound, full-screen presentation, and optional French
and Spanish soundtracks. --Tom Keogh
Amazon.com video review:
Arnold Schwarzenegger made a successful transition to comedy
with this 1990 box-office hit directed by Ivan Reitman. Arnold plays
an undercover cop whose attempt to locate a little boy and his mother
leads him to a small-town kindergarten class, where he poses as a
teacher while continuing his investigation. He's also trying to catch
a vicious drug dealer (Richard Tyson), whose ex-wife and son are the
pair that Arnold's trying to rescue from impending danger. The scenes
featuring Arnold and a classroom full of kindergartners are a real
hoot, and Pamela Reed offers enjoyable support as Schwarzenegger's
police partner, while Penelope Ann Miller (as another teacher)
provides a low-key romantic interest and Carroll Baker steals her
scenes as the villain's domineering mother. These familiar elements
combine to make this a surprisingly lively and entertaining
comedy-thriller, but parents are advised to heed the PG-13 rating:
there are a lot of funny kids in the movie, but it's still a police
thriller, with a violent climax that's not suitable for young
viewers. --Jeff Shannon
