*Nothing major of course…

IMDB Synopsis

A once-celebrated kid detective, now 31, continues to solve the same trivial mysteries between hangovers and bouts of self-pity. Until a naive client brings him his first `adult’ case, to find out who brutally murdered her boyfriend.

“The world has enough assholes”

Growing up I was obsessive over Encyclopedia Brown books. A teenage detective is everything I ever wanted to be, but of course was never that smart.

The Kid Detective, basically tells a story of what happens to a famous kid detective when he grows up. Does he continue down the righteous path, or do the years of cases pile up and turn him into something he hates. Written and Directed by Evan Morgan this movie is a very dark comedy, and honestly goes places you would never think possible. Our version of Encyclopedia is Abe Applebaum and he still has the incredible detective skills, but is an extreme alcoholic and has lost all sense of responsibility in his life. When Caroline brings him a murder case to solve though, Abe thinks it may be time to try and clean up his act again.

You can tell Moran is trying some ideas in this movie write from the get go with the cold open right into the classic, “You’re probably wondering how we got here” type gag. I have talked about that gag getting old but the execution here was solid so I did not mind it too much. I also highly enjoyed the montage of Abe in his teenage prime because it showed us the kind of detective he could be. The murder case he takes on has its twists and turns, and even though it might have one twist too many the payoff is worth it.

Stock Watch

Stock Up – Adam Brody

He continues to take different and interesting roles after movies like Shazam! and Ready or Not. I think he has a great handle on comedy, however when it is time to bring the character to a dramatic climax he can handle that as well. He just looks like he is having a ton of fun throughout the whole story, and who can fault him for that? I hope he continues to make great choices moving forward.

Who’s That Guy/Gal?

Tzi Ma – 129 IMDB Acting Credits

Already a Who’s that Guy Hall of Famer, the guy just shows up in everything. See Mulan, The Farewell or any other of the great roles he takes on. There is not a time I have been upset to see him on screen and this was no exception.

*A couple other tidbits

• The Ominous score really kept things moving and helped keep the dark tone while also allowing the humor to shine through.
• Sophie Nélisse is great in her role because you really never know if she is telling the truth or not, and she plays that up very well.
• Calling a rated R movie a Restricted movie is something I have never heard.
• I love the emphasis on Abe’s shoes, adding to the overall nature of his character.

What a fun movie this is, huh Juicers? Honestly, this came out of nowhere and it was a bolt of joy to see it play out. If you are going to make a live action Encyclopedia Brown type story, then this is a great way to do it. This is a dark movie and will turn people off, but there is more than enough humor to balance you out and give you an enjoyable experience.

Juice Rating:

*You can find my 2020 Rankings here.

*You can find all of my Movie Ratings here.

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