I have noticed this movie being offered on video and cable TV for years now, but have only now gotten around to seeing it. And you know what? I actually liked it!!
I thought it was well-crafted from a movie-making standpoint: it moved at a rapid pace, never bogged down, it had excellent cinematography, vibrant use of colors, somewhat multi-layered plot, good background music, etc. So, yes, from a movie *craft* standpoint, I felt it was indeed a good film.
I thought everyone acted their parts exactly as I would have expected - everyone was either slightly (or extremely) over the top, with the Problem Child himself being so extreme he was almost cartoonish. And really, everything in this movie was meant to be an exaggeration anyway. Examples: I liked the way Mrs. Healy was constantly equating having a kid as being little more than a sort of magic ticket to a higher social status in the local neighborhood. I really liked Gilbert Gottfried's character, demurely informing the hapless parents (John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck) that Junior had been returned 30 times before THEY got ahold of him. And I liked Michael Richards, as the Bow Tie Killer (hadn't been with a woman in 15 years!), puttin' the move on the frustrated Mrs. Healy, and she was all over him!. (By the way, forget the kid - Amy Yasbeck was reason enough to see this movie (loved her hair!). I'd see it again just to drool over her!!)
Anyway, I think you have to approach the movie for what it is: a spoof and a lampoon of sorts. In that light, I found that it came across as a very clever, slightly (and slyly) cynical, spoof on parenting and child-raising.
So what's the big deal? It WAS a good movie, pretty funny too. Let's all let our hair down for a change, get in touch with our inner naughty eight-year-old, and maybe have some fun with this kind of silly humor once in awhile. (And boy, if you ever adopt a child, make sure the kid comes with a 30-day money back return policy!:)
