Bebe's Kids

I saw this when I was about 13. I saw it again on Friday and had the time of my life studying the colors and humor created by the images. You'll laugh at what the characters say and do, and how they sound (especially Tone Loc as baby Pee-wee), but the funniest thing, really, is how over-the-top the action scenes are. It's also, surprisingly, a nice romance.

I wish I could warn the entire world about renting this *instead* of any "Problem Child" film; but hey, can't stop 'em all.

-Sep

Because so many children's animated films are actually only thinly disguised morality lessons and/or merchandising gimmicks, it's refreshing to find an acerbic, often tasteless cartoon feature willing to promote a little healthy skepticism instead. The basic premise, suggested by what had been a familiar routine by the late stand-up comedian Robin Harris, might resemble typical Saturday morning TV fodder: the gruff but (almost) lovable Harris (a kindred spirit to W.C. Fields) is conned into chaperoning a trio of pint-sized troublemakers to Fun World, a local amusement park. But underneath the rap soundtrack padding and heartfelt, homeopathic preaching about the virtues of self-esteem is a good deal of subversive, post-Rodney King cynicism. Fun World itself is analogous to White America in the 1990s, complete with secret police, remote surveillance, and a robot Richard Nixon (sounding not unlike Jimmy Stewart). The film was originally planned as a live-action comedy, but it probably works better as animation, where the cartoon exaggeration can be an advantage. Favorite character: little Baby Pee-Wee, with a voice "like a hundred packs of cigarettes" and a constant cloud of flies around his sagging diaper.

Grew up watching this movie..I wish it gets a remake with real characters one day..the film is funny from beginning to end with a good story line.

African-American comedian Robin Harris had a comedy routine about crazed youngsters only known as "Bebe's Kids". In spite of his death his idea developed into this ho-hum animated feature. Harris (in cartoon form and voiced by another actor) meets a beautiful woman at a mutual friend's funeral. Immediately they start to click, but trouble looms when the woman is supposed to watch a friend's children (the titled characters). Thus the group goes to a theme park and all hell breaks loose as the youngsters seem to be little more than hoods that unwittingly try to control everything everywhere they go. Starts out pretty well, but wears out its welcome as it progresses. The novelty disappears pretty quick and we are left with a silly and tiring cartoon. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

As a child I loved this movie and couldn't stop watching. My friends and I made this movie part of our weekend routine. So I decided to watch it recently to see if it was as funny as I thought it was. It turned out it was even better. Now that I am older I can enjoy the more mature jokes rather than just the hilarious antics the kids get themselves into. I am curious though about all the African-American stereotypes in this film others have commented on. It certainly can't be the kids as all races have their "bad apples". I actually think it defies some myths about African-Americans. Such as the stereotype that black men don't care about kids. Here we see a black man not only taking care of children, but other people's children. This movie even depicts the real problem of racial profiling (The security officers paying close attention on one of the Bebe children just because of how he dresses. Even though he is only a child.) All in all I believe this movie and the experience along with it some of my best childhood memories.