Carpool

Now you may not be aware of the term carpool ... or maybe you are. But just in case, it means that one car is being used to transport many individuals. In this case it is a carpool to school. So you get kids from different families being driven to school by one dad. So you know the other parents have not to worry how their kids will get to school.

This is quite the silly comedy and the actors are a testament to that. Tom Arnolds character might as well be called Tom Arnold - he seems to be playing his thing. And either you like it or you are annoyed by it. I wouldn't be calling it acting necessarily. And he doesn't have to - this not shading him. It works perfectly for the movie I would say.

So sit back, relax and let the madness take place ... predictable but still fun for all/many of the families

Advertising executive Daniel Miller (David Paymer) is forced to drive their family carpool when Mrs. Miller (Stellina Rusich) becomes ill. Daniel is in the middle of a huge advertising campaign for Hammerman's, a large chain of delis, but reluctantly take on the carpool duties. The carpool includes Daniel's two sons, Andrew (Mikey Kovar) and Bucky (Micah Gardener), two local ladies; Chelsea (Colleen Rennison) and her older sister, Kayla (Rachael Leigh Cook), and local weirdo Travis (Jordan Warkol). Meanwhile, Franklin Laszlo (Tom Arnold) is the owner of a failing carnival out of desperation to keep his team of carnies and sideshow performers employed initiates a last ditch effort to raise capital by robbing a bank. Daniel stops at a local Hammerman's to get some pastries where by coincidence Franklin has also stopped off. Two gunmen, Neil (Ian Tracey) and Jerry (John Tench), proceed to rob the Hammerman's and through a series of misunderstandings off duty detective Lt. Erdman (Kim Coates) believes Franklin to be the robber and Daniel and the van full of kids become reluctant hostages to Franklin who makes it clear he has no intention of harming them and a chase around the city ensues.

Released during the mid-90s, Carpool marked the theatrical screenwriting debut of noted TV writer Don Rhymer who had worked on Evening Shade, Hearts Afire, and Fish Police just to name a few. The movie is directed by veteran comedy director Arthur Hiller, best known for films such as 1978's The In-Laws with Alan Arkin and Peter Falk and the George C. Scott fronted dark comedy The Hospital. Carpool was part of a wave of broad family focused comedy films released throughout the 90s trying to tap into the zeitgeist that made Home Alone so successful often to diminishing returns. While Carpool was a financial failure on initial release and was skewered by critics, it's honestly an okay movie for what it is.

From the get go with its zippy soundtrack and exaggerated line deliveries the movie makes it pretty obvious this will be a broad slapstick farce. David Paymer plays an exaggerated whiner in Daniel Miller who constantly bemoans he's going to miss his important businessy business meeting at his place of business in what's basically the typical "workaholic dad" trope to a "T". The movie does try to balance it out with Tom Arnold's Franklin as a counterpoint to Daniel where he's so focused on being fun he neglected his responsibilities and the movie seems like it's trying to find some middle ground between the two extremes rather than just say "Dad should blow off work to spend time with his kids", but the movie never really develops that and pretty much falls back on the standard. But plot isn't the primary focus of this movie and it's more a showcase for over the top vehicular stunts and slapstick and to the movie's credit it does deliver. While the humor of Carpool is very broad its actors are all delivering the maximum amount of effort with Paymer committing to the tightly wound workaholic and Arnold committed to his fun loving larger than life accidental robber/hostage taker and the two of them play off well against the assortment of kid characters along for the ride. Kim Coates and Rhea Perlman have some fun energetic deliveries as a detective and meter maid respectively who are chasing the group. As with many comedies there are some "of the time" gags but they're never brazenly tasteless and are just kind of there (certainly haven't aged as awful as similar gags from other films).

Carpool is the type of middle of the road comedy that isn't aggressively obnoxious but it's also not that far above average either. I happen to like Tom Arnold so his delivery and comedic style did work for me personally. The movie's only about 89 minutes (including credits) so it never overstays its welcome and in terms of kid shenanigans movies Carpool may not be one of the best, but it's nowhere near the worst either.

corny, cheesy, but it still made me laugh. mostly clean humor, but still funny. Tom Arnold made it funny, but Rachael Leigh Cook made it worth watching(especially in a tight, short see-through shirt and a mini skirt) oh lord, thank you!

anyway, this is a good movie for 11-13 kids, but i rented it anyway. worth watching as one of those "there's nothing else to rent' movies. i give it a 6/10

Tom Arnold really shined in the movie,i've always liked him and it was great to see him get a leading role. David Paymer played the role of the 'all work, no pleasure,up tight dad' role very well. Even Mr.Hammermin was hilarious at the end when the group gave him slogans for their carnival project. The children played their roles well,with child innocence it's great to see grown people especially men bond with their kids and that's what I got from watching this movie... 7 out of ten!

~CWM~

I liked this movie when it came out, but I was a pre-teen. Now, it's fair. No classic and no extreme adventure; and definitely very unrealistic with kid jokes to make matters worse. However, it does have it's exciting parts that keep you on the edge of your seat. A few times it really does get you going. I wouldn't recommend see it without kids around, and would only see it if there really is nothing better to see. However, it is better than a lot of family movies, and is worth a try if you're willing to lower your standards.

All the more, and on the plus side; it really has a good plot and good moments. If you really give it a fair chance and "read between the lines," there are hidden messages about team work and self-development. The man on the run has a good heart, but is facing lots of problems. People (even the kids and witnesses) like Arnold's character better than the Dad. The Dad, selfish in the beginning, really learns a lot about putting others before himself - while making a new friend and bettering himself. The kids, who argue in the beginning, also form a bond, and have some good learning moments. They all work together as a team, and it leads to a surprise ending.

No classic, and probably only a 5/10, with just a C grade; but that's better than rock-bottom, and is an all-around adequate movie worth one watch if there truly is nothing better on TV or anything better to do.