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Kindergarten Cop

Play trailer Poster for Kindergarten Cop PG-13 1990 1h 51m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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54% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In this action-comedy, unusual circumstances find big, brawny cop John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) posing as a kindergarten teacher in order to apprehend major drug lord Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson), as well as his ruthless accomplice and mother, Eleanor (Carroll Baker). While pretending to be a kid-friendly instructor, Kimble falls for pretty fellow teacher Joyce Palmieri (Penelope Ann Miller) as he battles both unruly children and dangerous bad guys.

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Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop

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Critics Consensus

Arnold Schwarzenegger substitutes his action brio with some refreshingly adept comedic timing, but Kindergarten Cop is too grim for children and too cloying for adults.

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Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 09/26/2007
A mish-mash of violence, psycho-drama and lukewarm kiddie comedy. Go to Full Review Kim Voynar Empire Magazine 09/26/2007
3/5
With a heart of purest mush, Kindergarten Cop still manages to be generally entertaining. Go to Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out 06/24/2006
If Reitman's film gets closer than most to covering the bases, there remain huge gaps in plausibility and a romantic subplot any ten-year-old could tell you is just plain icky. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Dec 30
1.5/4
Apart from the violence Crisp's trail leaves in his wake, there's much else to disturb youngsters watching "Kindergarten Cop." Go to Full Review Allison Rose FlickDirect 02/05/2024
4/5
Kindergarten Cop was one of Schwarzenegger's more diverse roles to date, showcasing the actor's talent in more than just action sequences. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 12/01/2022
The film, rather insubstantial that it almost doesn't exist, distracted me for an hour and a half. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ryland C @Rycordes1 1d 50% Charm about an undercover cop bonding with kindergartners. And 50% great story with cool action. See more Mitchell S @Mitchstur Apr 10 It's a little bit of a goofy premise, but it's refreshing seeing tough guy John Kimball come to love these kids! See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch Apr 6 Kindergarten Cop is a hilariously unique film that showcases Arnold Schwarzenegger in a surprisingly comedic light, proving he can be just as funny as he is intimidating. The premise alone—an action star thrown into a chaotic kindergarten classroom—is pure gold, and the movie fully embraces it. Watching Arnold navigate tiny chairs, snack time chaos, and nonstop kid antics is endlessly entertaining. His straight-faced delivery amid absurd situations amplifies the humor, making the comedy feel effortless and genuine, a hallmark of 90s films. Beyond laughs, the film has heart. Emotional moments give depth to the story, particularly as Arnold’s character connects with the children, making the narrative more engaging and satisfying. The blend of comedy, sentiment, and light action creates a timeless charm. Kindergarten Cop captures the best of 90s cinema: sincere, funny, and memorable. It remains one of Schwarzenegger’s most endearing roles, a film that continues to entertain audiences See more Stephen H @Primefabs Apr 5 This film gets a lot of stick but it’s a good fun film, very funny and well worth a watch despite the ratings. See more Old P @RT12645516 Apr 4 LOVE IT GREAT FUNNY. Laugh MY BUTT OFF See more Leia E @Gopisc Mar 12 This movie is really weird watching it now as an adult. The child characters are dehumanised to some degree. The main character is praised for his teaching methods but is someone who threatens a child with violence, shouts at children, and trains them like dogs. While there are some funny moments, a lot of the films humour relies on having children say or do inappropriate things. We shouldn’t celebrate lazy joke writing or normalise sexual content regarding children. See more Read all reviews
Kindergarten Cop

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Cast & Crew

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Ivan Reitman

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Detective John Kimble

Penelope Ann Miller

Joyce Palmieri

Pamela Reed

Detective Phoebe O'Hara

Linda Hunt

Miss Schlowski

Richard Tyson

Cullen Crisp, Sr.

Movie Clips

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Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Kids on the Plane Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Kids on the Plane 1:57 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Who Is Your Daddy? Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Who Is Your Daddy? 2:00 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - They're Horrible Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - They're Horrible 1:56 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Boys Have a Penis Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Boys Have a Penis 2:41 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Shut Up! Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Shut Up! 2:36 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - You Belong to Me! Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - You Belong to Me! 1:27 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - It's Not a Tumor! Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - It's Not a Tumor! 0:46 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Hitting Back Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Hitting Back 2:38 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Saving Dominic Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - Saving Dominic 2:59 Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - The Party Pooper Kindergarten Cop: Official Clip - The Party Pooper 3:08 View more videos

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Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop (1990) Kindergarten Cop (1990) (L-R) Penelope Ann Miller as Rachel Crisp and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective John Kimble in "Kindergarten Cop." Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective John Kimble in "Kindergarten Cop." Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective John Kimble in "Kindergarten Cop." Linda Hunt as Miss Schlowski in "Kindergarten Cop." (L-R) Pamela Reed as Detective Phoebe O'Hara and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective John Kimble in "Kindergarten Cop." (L-R) Richard Tyson as Cullen Crisp Sr. and Carroll Baker as Eleanor Crisp in "Kindergarten Cop." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this action-comedy, unusual circumstances find big, brawny cop John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) posing as a kindergarten teacher in order to apprehend major drug lord Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson), as well as his ruthless accomplice and mother, Eleanor (Carroll Baker). While pretending to be a kid-friendly instructor, Kimble falls for pretty fellow teacher Joyce Palmieri (Penelope Ann Miller) as he battles both unruly children and dangerous bad guys.
Director
Ivan Reitman
Producer
Ivan Reitman, Brian Grazer
Screenwriter
Murray Salem, Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Hyde Harris
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 21, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$88.6M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR
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