Kindergarten Cop (1990)
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A tough LAPD detective must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to protect a woman and her son from a dangerous drug lord.
The story
In Los Angeles, a ruthless drug lord named Cullen Crisp is apprehended by LAPD narcotics detective John Kimble. To secure a conviction, Kimble must find Crisp's ex-wife, Rachel, who is hiding in Astoria, Oregon, with their young son. Kimble is partnered with detective Phoebe O'Hara, who intends to pose as a substitute teacher to observe the children. However, when O'Hara falls ill, Kimble is forced to take her place in the classroom. Despite having no teaching experience and little patience for children, Kimble must navigate the challenges of the classroom while remaining undercover to protect the family from the dangerous criminal.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being forced to teach a kindergarten class in Astoria, Oregon, while investigating a drug lord, Detective John Kimble begins to bond with his students. He establishes order through firm discipline and eventually discovers a genuine enjoyment for teaching. Meanwhile, his partner, Phoebe O'Hara, poses as his sister to continue the investigation. As the case unfolds, Kimble realizes that one of his students, Dominic, is the son of the woman he is searching for, Rachel. The situation turns dire when the drug lord, Cullen Crisp, is released and travels to Astoria to reclaim his son. Crisp starts a fire as a diversion and takes Dominic hostage. During a confrontation, Kimble's pet ferret bites Crisp, allowing Dominic to escape. Crisp shoots Kimble in the leg, and Kimble returns fire, fatally wounding Crisp. Following a final confrontation with Crisp's accomplice, Eleanor, who is knocked unconscious by O'Hara, Kimble is hospitalized. Ultimately, Kimble decides to leave the police force and remain in Astoria as a full-time kindergarten teacher, where he and O'Hara share a kiss as the children cheer.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ivan Reitman
- Writers
- Murray Salem · screenplay; Herschel Weingrod · screenplay; Timothy Harris · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Arnold Schwarzenegger · John Kimble; Penelope Ann Miller; Pamela Reed; Linda Hunt; Richard Tyson; Carroll Baker
- Genres
- action; comedy
- Themes
- undercover operations; fatherhood; protection
- Tone and mood
- comedy; action
- Premise and plot tags
- undercover; police; school
- Franchise connections
- Kindergarten Cop
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success but received mixed critical reviews, with some critics finding the plot's tone inconsistent for its target audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 54% · review count: 39; Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Production trivia
- Several actors, including Bill Murray and Patrick Swayze, were considered for the lead role.; The film's school interior and exterior were filmed at the John Jacob Astor Elementary School.; A 1996 Filipino action comedy movie Ang Titser Kong Pogi (lit. "My Handsome Teacher") is a remake of Kindergarten Cop.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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