The Kid (DVD) > Reviews (5)

When 'Disney films' are mentioned, a mental image of an animated feature length cartoon involving the trials and tribulations of either a beautiful lady or a cuddly animal spring to mind. 'The kid' is not of this variety and has not an animated character or computer created beast in sight. (Although Bbruce Willis' hair may have been added on to the footage - who knows!)

Abandoning my rule that Disney films are for children or for christmas viewing I rented this from the local video shop after seeing a rather promising trailer. Would my toe dipping into the Disney pool leave me regretful or would the disney magic win the day?

THE STORY

Bruce Willis plays a man, named Russell, swiftly approaching his fortieth birthday. He is an image consultant, rich, successful, very busy and with little time for women and no time for his family in his life. It seems that the life of a business executive is slowly getting to him as he begins to hallucinate and sees a young boy in his bachelor pad.

No matter what drugs he takes or how much he hopes, the boy does not disappear and it slowly becomes apparent that he is no hallucination. But why would an eight-year-old child suddenly appear in his flat?

Willis talks to the child and it soon transpires that the boy is Rusty. Rusty is short for Russell. Rusty is willis when he was eight! There is no doubting it as they compare birthmarks, scars and intimate knowledge.

How did Rusty appear? Why is he there? How will he get back? Is Rusty supposed to help Willis fall in love with girlfriend played by Emily Mortimer? Is Willis supposed to help Rusty to be less of a loser? Is Rusty supposed to help remind the forty year old of how life should be lived?

Some of these questions are answered as the film unfolds.

ACTING

Bruce Willis is perfectly adequate in his role as the ageing executive. After recent roles in films such as 'Unbreakable' and 'Pulp Fiction', it is rather a surprise to see him being cast in a Disney movie. However, his character is not of the hearts and flowers variety. He seems completely prepared to put up with a life of celibacy by scuppering any chances he might have by being rude, arrogant, self-absorbed and generally obnoxious to women he meets. Luckily his behaviour is not sufficient to turn the viewer against him; otherwise the inevitable happy ending would be anything but (as the viewers cry for the blood of the character and weep at his new found fortune!)

Emily Mortimer (daughter of 'Rumpole' author, John Mortimer) plays Willis' on/off girlfriend-cum-assistant. This is Disney and so it is not entirely surprising that her character is underdeveloped and her behaviour a little too sickly sweet for comfort. However, she is fortunately a lot more attractive than her father and brings a pretty face to our screen for the one hour, forty minutes of the film.

Lily Tomlin also appears in the film as Willis' secretary. I have always been a fan of Tomlin and once more she comes up trumps with her performance. She is the faithful, efficient, caring secretary who puts up with Willis' tantrums and understands him better than he does himself (if he is wearing his yellow tie, he is in a foul mood).

However, Tomlin in an administrative role is all too redolent of her character in '9 to 5', which in some respects is more 'Disney' than this film (remember her making poisoned tea for her boss while surrounded by sweetly singing animated blue birds, Bambi and numerous rabbits?).

HUMOUR

At the end of the day we can' complain too much about the superficiality of the characters or the lack of explanations for the time travelling child. After all this is a Disney film and what child or accompanying adult wants their brain to start aching as they try to come to grips with the possible paradoxes caused by a person travelling through time and meeting themselves? This is fundamentally a comedy. Does it hit the mark?

This film will not have you rolling on the floor with laughter or quoting bits to your friends but it will make you laugh and for the duration of the film you will enjoy yourself (whether you like it or not!).

For example, young Rusty starts dashing around Willis' flat calling, 'Chester! Here boy!' He explains that he is searching for the dog that he knows he will have when he grows up - so surely it must be somewhere in the flat? Willis breaks the news to him that he has no canine companion. Rusty astutely observes, 'No girlfriend? No dog? Oh no! I grow up to be a loser!'

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

The film does all that it sets out to achieve. It is an interesting storyline, simplified so that all the family can understand (even loopy old grandpa) and is packed full of humour that will make both kiddies and grown up kiddies smile.

As long as you bear in mind the purpose of the film at the outset - to entertain and nothing more or less sophisticated than that, you will not be disappointed. This is an excellent film to keep the children amused on a rainy day during the holidays and it is worth sitting down in front of yourself, cup of tea or bucket of vodka in hand (well - you know how stressful kids and school hols can be).