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Problem Child

Play trailer Poster for Problem Child PG 1990 1h 21m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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3% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Ben is a good-hearted guy who's always wanted a son of his own, but so far he and his wife have had no success. The couple adopt Junior, a redheaded hellion who quickly makes their lives miserable. Disaster follows Junior wherever he goes, from camping trips that require emergency-room visits to birthday parties that turn into Grand Guignol affairs. When Ben's incensed family tells him to get rid of the boy, he starts to wonder if they might be right.
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Problem Child

Problem Child

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Critics Consensus

Mean-spirited and hopelessly short on comic invention, Problem Child is a particularly unpleasant comedy, one that's loaded with manic scenery chewing and juvenile pranks.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times Jul 14, 2014
Sound funny? The filmmakers here think so. They've jacked this loud, lame shrieker of a movie up to the highest decibels, both aural and visual, and rammed it in our faces with almost numbing aplomb. Go to Full Review Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer May 21, 2013
2/4
Some kids are born bad. Others achieve badness. And some have badness thrust upon them. The same can be said of movies. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune May 21, 2013
2/4
Inside Dennis Dugan's uncertainly staged, awkwardly sentimental Problem Child is another movie fighting to get out-one that's much meaner and probably more interesting. Go to Full Review Jack E. Wilkinson United Press International Jun 12, 2026
Hopeful but soon hopeless Sledgehammer comedy that can be quite funny. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Nov 30, 2022
Problem Child takes the theme of the mischievous child to an alarming, and sociopathic limit. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Joaquin de Luna El Pais (Spain) Mar 27, 2019
Terrible. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Artur G @RT11672082 Jul 5, 2026 As a child I choked myself laughing on this movie. After I became a boy dad I rewatched The Problem Child with my wife. We were crying. It's not a comedy. It's actually a personal tragedy of an extremely underloved boy who was always punished for being a boy and for daring do defend himself from harmful adults and bully kids. And in the case he always succeeded in it he was called a problem neither adults nor bullies. See more Jonathan T @Jontown677 Jun 18, 2026 It’s a very 90s movie but it’s super hilarious idk why people hate it See more Glenn @Grappler Oct 19, 2025 The boy threw the cat in the grandfather's face after he heard him say some bad things about him. The grandfather fell down the stairs backwards. LOL, you have to watch the movie. It's funny because bad things happen to someone else. If this happened to you in real life I could see why you wouldn't think it wasn't so funny See more Jane L @Dreameater2018 Aug 9, 2025 Watched this one as a child. Super funny! They don’t make them like they did back then because of our soft pc culture. See more Ace C @RT14407734 Jun 25, 2025 Idk why everyone hate the movie😭 I loved it and watched it throughout my childhood See more Stephen C @bob25009 May 29, 2025 The worldwide gross is $72,270,891.00 over a production budget of $11,000,000.00. Difference of $61,270,891.00. Starring the late John Ritter (September 17th, 1948, in Burbank, California- September 11th, 2003, also in Burbank, California, at the age of 54 years, 11 months, and 25 days), Michael Joshua Oliverius (Born October 10th, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, celebrating his 45th birthday, in just 82 days) and the late John Warden Lebzelter Jr. (September 18th, 1920, in Newark, New Jersey- July 19th, 2006, in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 85 years, 10 months, and 1 day). And Michael Anthony Richards (Born July 24th, 1949, in Culver City, California, celebrating his 79th birthday in just 4 days). See more Read all reviews
Problem Child

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Cast & Crew

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Dennis Dugan

Director

John Ritter

Ben

Michael Oliver

Junior

Jack Warden

Big Ben

Gilbert Gottfried

Mr. Peabody

Amy Yasbeck

Flo

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Problem Child

Problem Child (1990) Problem Child (1990) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ben is a good-hearted guy who's always wanted a son of his own, but so far he and his wife have had no success. The couple adopt Junior, a redheaded hellion who quickly makes their lives miserable. Disaster follows Junior wherever he goes, from camping trips that require emergency-room visits to birthday parties that turn into Grand Guignol affairs. When Ben's incensed family tells him to get rid of the boy, he starts to wonder if they might be right.
Director
Dennis Dugan
Producer
Robert Simonds
Screenwriter
Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
Production Co
Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 11, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$53.5M
Runtime
1h 21m
Sound Mix
Surround
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