The Kid Detective

This movie is actually really really great. The ideas, the distinctive characters, the acting and plot were all on spot. That's all I have to say. Now go watch and tell me what you think.

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.

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.

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.

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.