Kids

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Kids

Released Jul 28, 1995

1h 30m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

47%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Amoral teen Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) has made it his goal to sleep with as many virgin girls as possible -- but he doesn't tell them that he's HIV positive. While on the hunt for his latest conquest, Telly and his best friend, Casper (Justin Pierce), smoke pot and steal from shops around New York. Meanwhile, Jenny (Chloë Sevigny), one of Telly's early victims, makes it her mission to save other girls from him. But before she has a chance to confront him at a party, everything goes horribly wrong.

Critics Consensus

Kids isn't afraid to test viewers' limits, but the point of its nearly non-stop provocation is likely to be lost in all the repellent characters and unpleasant imagery.

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Lisa Jervis

Bitch Media

The parallel seductions serve to show the audience that male sexuality is predatory and female sexuality is passive and victim-based.

Dec 17, 2020

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Kids is stunningly anti-erotic, though not untainted by sensationalism. By condensing all this inflammatory material into a 24-hour time frame, Clark and Harmony Korine create an overwrought narrative that's sometimes tedious in its relentlesshess.

Feb 16, 2018

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Common Sense Media

This savagely controversial, deeply brutal movie, the debut of many notable talents, was notorious in its day and still is. 'Kids' is definitely not for "kids," but it's an unsettlingly effective cautionary tale.

Rated: 4/5

May 18, 2024

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Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

[Kids'] rough, in-your-face approach to exposing the perils of teenage promiscuity teaches a harsh lesson.

May 13, 2022

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Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

The film's lack of thesis and use of realistic sex/rape scenes provides no medicine to the wound it gives the viewers, offering nothing interesting to declare about the problems it presents to us. Instead it only sticks the knife in deeper.

Dec 9, 2021

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Amber O

This film is essential viewing for any teenager. It offers an unfiltered and authentic portrayal of real-life challenges.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

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Denver S

If your friends don’t like this movie, they’re weak.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/13/25

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Wolverine P

I watched this movie at a very young age and it has stuck with me, it is truly a great movie and very sobering

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

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Stephen C

Success in 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $5,400,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/02/25

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Sergio A

It hasn’t aged well. While the attempt to portray a generation with raw honesty is acknowledged, the film lacks artistic clarity. The script is predictable, the performances are unconvincing, and the direction feels scattered. Not everything should be considered art just because it’s provocative.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/15/25

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Kyle C

Kids: 3/5 More of a mood than a movie. There’s a little bit of plot, and the parts that are good are really good, but there’s also at least 45 minutes of watching obnoxious teenagers be insufferable. It simply doesn’t add anything after a certain point. That being said, it does a great job of capturing the timeless experience of being a teenager, despite being wrapped pretty tightly in 90s garb. It powerfully explores the terror of the AIDS epidemic and how it impacted social circles, and it always stays respectful of these sensitive topics. I also like the way it framed the differences in how society expects women and men to handle challenges. But despite a strong start and tackling some really intense topics, it’s simply not a very pleasant experience to watch.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/28/25

Full Review

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Larry Clark

Director

Leo Fitzpatrick

Telly

Justin Pierce

Casper

Chloë Sevigny

Jennie

Sarah Henderson

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Synopsis

Amoral teen Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) has made it his goal to sleep with as many virgin girls as possible -- but he doesn't tell them that he's HIV positive. While on the hunt for his latest conquest, Telly and his best friend, Casper (Justin Pierce), smoke pot and steal from shops around New York. Meanwhile, Jenny (Chloë Sevigny), one of Telly's early victims, makes it her mission to save other girls from him. But before she has a chance to confront him at a party, everything goes horribly wrong.

Director: Larry Clark
Producer: Cary Woods
Screenwriter: Harmony Korine, Jim Lewis, Larry Clark
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films, Independent Pictures
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.4M
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Stereo