The Kid Detective, not really a title that is very appealing, but the truth is that this movie is certainly entertaining. The humor is most of the time subtle. To me the mystery level is what makes this movie stand out. I don't know if the humor was really necessary to make this a good movie. But it's there, subtle and dark at times, it made me giggle a couple times, not rolling over from laughing but good enough to make me grin. The plot is well written, definitely the best thing about The Kid Detective. Nice twists, and an ending that will surprise more than one. The acting was good and that from the whole cast. Better than I expected to be honest.
137 Reviews
Adam Brody did wonder in this quirky murder mystery
witra_as17 August 2021
A quirky murder mystery by Evan Morgan had unconventional steps to reveal the truth. I wasn't thoroughly impressed but had genuine LOL moments. Adam Brody is the best thing here cause you can't miss both his coming of age story and investigation process.
Well written "comedy" mystery that gets dark
Cujo_Firebird21 December 2020
A surprisingly complex cinematic treat.
GrantKanigan22 February 2021
A brilliant, funny premise with comedic heft, that is also a unsettling thriller. It'a due to the whole cast, whip smart direction, excellent direction and a masterful performance from Adam Brody. It's a testament to both the writing and Brody that such a weird, unique premise can ride the line between goofy satire and deadly serious themes. It's a unique, thrilling and absolutely memorable film. Where the Coen brothers seem to be more tongue in cheek or outright violent, or Guy Ritchie might stylize and use violence for jokes, this film somehow has its hilarious moments without taking away from some of its deadly serious tones. It's wonderful filmmaking, and surely would have been a hit if 2020 hadn't decimated moviegoing. Here's hoping this isn't the last we've seen from the creative duo of Morgan and Brody, and that this film finds its audience on VOD. It's destined to be a cult classic.
A Hidden Gem
Dave_0516 December 2020
I stumbled across this movie completely by accident (and with help of the current COVID situation), and I am so glad I did. An excellent film with many twists and turns, some dark humor, and also a story of lost and found potential.
It is a shame that more people have not found this movie; hopefully streaming and word of mouth will help it get a bigger audience. My only problem with it is the music that plays over the last scene; really does not seem to fit.
It is a shame that more people have not found this movie; hopefully streaming and word of mouth will help it get a bigger audience. My only problem with it is the music that plays over the last scene; really does not seem to fit.
Caught me by surprise
Sergiodave21 December 2020
The Kid Detective starts out as a fairly run of the mill amateur sleuth movie, something not too distant from 'Murder She Wrote'. Luckily I didn't quit the film because it then turns very surprisingly dark. Well acted and directed with an ingenious plot , this movie will leave you thinking long after the credits have rolled.
Surprising
harrisonmoon13 June 2021
Sneaky compelling. Adam Brody's style... deadpan delivery of lines keeps you hooked. You get vested and want to know what happened. Canadian film too which surprised me more... a movie I expected would be the usual 4 or something I just didn't finish. But it's good and it's a bit different... and you kinda want to see it to the end.
Far better than it has any right to be
Holland_March20 January 2021
I'm honestly shocked at how well this film turned out. Whatever I expected this to be, it turned out far better. Adam Brody gave an amazing performance, somewhat similar to a live action BoJack Horseman in this movie (obviously with detectives instead of actors). The comedy is really good too, the film knows how to make the audience laugh and when it's appropriate to do so. Not every line is hilarious, but a majority of the jokes tend to land. A sign of a good movie is, despite however much comedy it is, it's plot is well thought out, unpredictable, and possibly one of the most well done mysteries I've seen. It fits perfectly with the tone, plot, and characters. And the ending! The ending! Something so different from the rest of the movie, but something that works so well with it! When the film wraps, it leaves you wanting nothing but for Abe Applebaum's next mystery.
brutal mystery wrapped in a light tone
SnoopyStyle14 July 2022
Abe Applebaum (Adam Brody) is a world-weary 32 year old private detective working his small cases. He is pitied. Twenty years earlier, he solved a big case at school and became adorably known as The Kid Detective. He solved all kinds of fun kiddie cases. It all came crashing down when his kiddie secretary Gracie Gulliver gets kidnapped and he failed to find her. Her disappearance haunts him to this day. Caroline (Sophie Nélisse) walks in with a big case. Her boyfriend was brutally murdered.
This is a lot better than I expected. Mostly, I found the mystery to be very compelling and the shocking reveal only tops it. The issue is the movie's lighter tone and comedic touches. It works but it does clash with the story's dark material. It's a brutal depressing story. I do wonder if the movie should try for a dark neo-noir tone instead. Nevertheless, this is a very good indie.
This is a lot better than I expected. Mostly, I found the mystery to be very compelling and the shocking reveal only tops it. The issue is the movie's lighter tone and comedic touches. It works but it does clash with the story's dark material. It's a brutal depressing story. I do wonder if the movie should try for a dark neo-noir tone instead. Nevertheless, this is a very good indie.
Funny, Gritty, Complex... the complete Package
Frank-E-Hickey16 October 2020
I honestly was not expecting such a compelling film out of The Kid Detective. It is a dark comedy in every sense of the word. From beginning to end. There are moments that are drop dead hilarious, and also so sad. Adam Brody plays his role perfectly. It is non-stop melancholy fused with bits of rich humor. I loved it.
The Kid Detective
henry8-318 August 2021
A once famous child detective who solved hundreds of cases around town and in school grows up to be something of a failure as an adult (Brody), haunted by the disappearance years ago of a girl who helped him. One day a girl turns up (Nelisse) asking him to solve the murder of her boyfriend.
Well executed comedy thriller with some genuinely funny scenes throughout as Brody does his best to investigate with little or no information and no support from family and friends. His somber, half drunken / stoned approach makes for an amusing character to be with. Interestingly about 30 minutes from the end it all gets very dark indeed as the fog clears for Brody. A really good effort.
Well executed comedy thriller with some genuinely funny scenes throughout as Brody does his best to investigate with little or no information and no support from family and friends. His somber, half drunken / stoned approach makes for an amusing character to be with. Interestingly about 30 minutes from the end it all gets very dark indeed as the fog clears for Brody. A really good effort.
One of the Great Hidden Gems of 2020
aidanratesmovies27 May 2021
I'm not gonna lie, this film took me completely by surprise. I have always liked Adam Brody as an actor, but it's in this film we truly see him able to prove himself in a leading role, and he does an absolutely fantastic job- in honestly one of my favorite performances from the films of 2020. The Kid Detective was largely swept under the rug by most moviegoers, as it was shortly dumped in theaters in the fall of last year. I had heard good things about it, but lacked much of a desire to see it. However, the movie eventually made its way to the library where I decided to give it a watch, and I was completely shook by the time it was over. Not only do I regret not seeing the film in theaters, but it's also inspired me a bit more about movies in general. That it may just be still possible to make a good original film with a major studio this day and age, among all the sequels, franchises, and remakes out there. The film is complex, dark, and quite funny- its script is well fleshed out and incredibly well edited and paced. It never feels like too much or too little. It never feels like it's holding your hand or stuffing its hardship down your throat, it simply is a brilliant and well done mystery- and I couldn't be more pleased with it if I tried. The cinematography is excellent, a nostalgic view of a small middle class american town, and its soundtrack is incredibly fitting- providing the audience with classic tunes that lend the film to a more nostalgic tone- incredibly well set for its classic mystery inspired setup. In the end, The Kid Detective is easily the best mystery/thriller i've seen in quite a long time, and easily one of the best films of 2020.
My Rating: 10/10.
My Rating: 10/10.
Pretty good!
leonmessyb17 August 2021
Not as fulfilling as I had hoped for.
PerryAtTheMovies8 November 2020
Being a detective isn't always the most glamorous job in the world, but this film takes it too far in just how slow and boring it can be. Abe Applebaum, our story protagonist, hates his life and drinks it away as he doesn't have any real cases to work on. This film feels more of a documentary of how life sucks as an adult. Of the entirety of this film only the last 10-15 minutes was enjoyable. (Yes, that's typically how films work) However, there should at least feel like there's some build-up to an ending and this film just doesn't do it. We get minimal blips of life, but ultimately it goes from dead one moment to alive the next and then done, walking out the theatre.
Honestly, I'm finding it hard to find words to write a meaningful review on this film. Just like the movie, I'm all over the place and wish I could give you more, but alas you're left thinking, "What was that?" Overall, I could only recommend watching this film on a streaming service. At least if you're going to fall asleep, you can do it at home.
Honestly, I'm finding it hard to find words to write a meaningful review on this film. Just like the movie, I'm all over the place and wish I could give you more, but alas you're left thinking, "What was that?" Overall, I could only recommend watching this film on a streaming service. At least if you're going to fall asleep, you can do it at home.
interesting premise handled well
cherold5 February 2021
What if The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew kept on detecting as adults? It's hard to imagine, simply because you never think of them as growing up, but The Kid Detective suggests a possible scenario.
In this private detective dramedy, Abe Applebaum was a town celebrity; a whiz kid with a talent for detecting. Now he's 30 and is still pursuing the same penny-ante cases of his childhood - missing pets and digging up info on relatives. You just have to ignore the absurdity that the cases he handles would be enough to pay a secretary (amusing and dourly played by Veep's Sarah Sutherland).
Then Abe gets a serious case; a girl's boyfriend was stabbed and the police are flummoxed. It's the first really important case he's had since a kid-era case that doesn't appear to have gone well, but he pursues it doggedly and often foolishly.
This is a rather odd movie. It starts light and comedic but gets darker as it moves along. The end is actually downright grim, and that's not really what you're expecting at the beginning.
I didn't really enjoy the last half hour as much as the rest, but it's hard for me to separate my feelings about the movie from the fact that an hour into the movie I got into a brief spat with my girlfriend that I expected to blow up when we had a chance to talk more, and I was very stressed after that. It's possible that if not for that I might have given the movie an 8.
Anyway, if you like detective movies and find the premise appealing it's definitely worth checking out.
In this private detective dramedy, Abe Applebaum was a town celebrity; a whiz kid with a talent for detecting. Now he's 30 and is still pursuing the same penny-ante cases of his childhood - missing pets and digging up info on relatives. You just have to ignore the absurdity that the cases he handles would be enough to pay a secretary (amusing and dourly played by Veep's Sarah Sutherland).
Then Abe gets a serious case; a girl's boyfriend was stabbed and the police are flummoxed. It's the first really important case he's had since a kid-era case that doesn't appear to have gone well, but he pursues it doggedly and often foolishly.
This is a rather odd movie. It starts light and comedic but gets darker as it moves along. The end is actually downright grim, and that's not really what you're expecting at the beginning.
I didn't really enjoy the last half hour as much as the rest, but it's hard for me to separate my feelings about the movie from the fact that an hour into the movie I got into a brief spat with my girlfriend that I expected to blow up when we had a chance to talk more, and I was very stressed after that. It's possible that if not for that I might have given the movie an 8.
Anyway, if you like detective movies and find the premise appealing it's definitely worth checking out.
Starts of cute, gets clever, turns dark.
themadcamel12 March 2021
In a year riddled with average films this one floats to the top. It's a great premise, kid detective (cliche) becoming an alcoholic in adulthood; I think a lot could relate to the reality of that. And the comedy in that idea is sharp and works well. But what really makes this film shine is just how f$@king how real it gets. Worth a watch.
Once a kid detective, can he get his MOJO back at 32?
TxMike21 March 2021
Based on the title I figured this would be just an entertaining, light-hearted comedy. In fact there are many comedy elements but I would consider it a dark comedy because there is an unsolved abduction, and an unsolved murder of a teenage boy.
The boy when young was a sort of Nancy Drew type of detective and he achieved quite a reputation in his town. Part of the whimsy in this story is some of his old cases come back to haunt him because he had identified the wrong perp. As an adult he isn't getting much work and he always seems out of sorts.
My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library. We enjoyed it, the dialog isn't totally standard, there are some quirky elements. A good change-of-pace for an evening's viewing.
The boy when young was a sort of Nancy Drew type of detective and he achieved quite a reputation in his town. Part of the whimsy in this story is some of his old cases come back to haunt him because he had identified the wrong perp. As an adult he isn't getting much work and he always seems out of sorts.
My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library. We enjoyed it, the dialog isn't totally standard, there are some quirky elements. A good change-of-pace for an evening's viewing.
A fairly good dark comedy
0w08 January 2021
'The Kid Detective' isn't great or fantastic or anything like that, but it certainly isn't a bad movie. The acting is good, the story is intriguing and it does enough other things well to not be boring or stale throughout the entire movie. I would call it a dark comedy although I only laughed once throughout the entire movie, so don't expect a laugh-a-minute movie or anything like that, it's just humorous enough without actually making you laugh, since the entire movie is dark and somber due to the subject matter that it deals with plus the two main characters being very somber themselves. Overall it's a fine movie and worth watching at least once.
Funny dark comedy
batiste-bieler15 December 2020
Pretty simple story with a few twists. I chuckled quite a few times at the weird situations the protagonist find himself in. Quite enjoyable overall and good cinematography and score.
I liked the script and the dialogs as well.
Everybody has secrets
nogodnomasters28 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
As a child Abe Applebaum played detective in the town of Willowbrook. Gracie (Kaitlyn Chalmers-Rizzato ) was his receptionist. Then Gracie goes missing. Abe grows up unable to solve the mystery. Then he gets his first murder case. A boy was stabbed 17 times. His girlfriend (Sophie Nélisse) of 3 months asks him to solve the case.
Abe (Adam Brody) does unorthodox things like break into people's homes and snoop. He asks simple straight forward questions and solves cases without any theatrics. Simple and mildly enjoyable mystery.
Guide: F-word. brief nudity.
Abe (Adam Brody) does unorthodox things like break into people's homes and snoop. He asks simple straight forward questions and solves cases without any theatrics. Simple and mildly enjoyable mystery.
Guide: F-word. brief nudity.
HIGHLY UNDERRATED !!!!!!
mohamed_khaled-1001312 January 2021
Not bad at all.
LordCommandar17 December 2020
Most underrated film of this awful year!
heresija28 October 2020
DARK COMEDY
andreascaloni22 February 2021
A once-celebrated kid detective, now 31, continues to solve the same trivial mysteries between hangovers and bouts of self-pity. But a naive client brings him his first adult case to find out who brutally murdered her boyfriend.
The Kid Detective is a dark comedy fun and entertaining. It takes some unexpected turns and boasts of a talented cast; especially Adam Brody give us a very good performance. The movie isn't something unique in it's genre but it is a fun and well made crime story.
Rating: 6,3.
The Kid Detective is a dark comedy fun and entertaining. It takes some unexpected turns and boasts of a talented cast; especially Adam Brody give us a very good performance. The movie isn't something unique in it's genre but it is a fun and well made crime story.
Rating: 6,3.
Boring 😴😴
Draysan-Jennings18 December 2020
I'm dying reading some of these reviews..So fake..I can't believe someone actually said The Kid Detective is the most underrated film of the year LOL..Ya right..or how about this one -Dark humor and mystery that will leave you speechless- LMAO..leave you speechless?? 💀 More like put you to sleep. This movie is extremely slow paced and boring. The movie wasn't terrible I just thought it was very mediocre and didn't really go anywhere. Basic 5 star movie C-
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