A tough cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is given his most difficult assignment ever: to masquerade as a kindergarten teacher in order to find a drug dealer.

When this film first came out, it was panned by just about everyone besides Roger Ebert. Looking back 25 years later, Ebert was probably the only one who got it right. While not the greatest comedy, and certainly not a great action film, this movie has a certain charm that resonates beyond the typical demographic for Arnold's films.

The only thing that really ages poorly is the bad guy's hair. But, to be fair, his hair was probably considered atrocious in 1990, too.

This film totally unimpressed me and should be relegated to the category of "time passers". So, if it's coming on TV and you have absolutely NOTHING to do, then perhaps you should give it a try.

My biggest complaint about the film is that although it appears to be marketed towards families, this really isn't a family-friendly film--especially for families with younger kids. There are two reasons I say this. The film, in spots, is pretty violent (such as Arnold beating up an abusive dad) and the language is "problematic" (such as the gratuitous use of he words "penis" and "vagina"). For my kids, this isn't an issue--I have taught sex ed and we are not afraid to use these words--but for comedy? Plus, some parents might find themselves needing to have a talk to Jr. about these words if the kids haven't yet heard them! As for the plot itself, it's pretty trite and forgettable. Arnold the tough cop poses as a kindergarten teacher. Yeah, right! I'm glad actually the film didn't do better at the box office--imagine what spin-offs we might have seen! Arnold as an undercover stripper cop or lunch lady Arnold!

I'm not really a fan of Schwarzenegger's comedy films, given that I adore his action movies and would much rather be watching them instead. Stuff like TWINS tends to leave me cold, but I think it's fair to say that KINDERGARTEN COP is probably the best of his family-oriented flicks. The story, which sees Arnie's cop undercover in a school and saddled with a class of boisterous kids, almost writes itself.

The reason that this is a workable film comes down to the script, which is laden with all of the classic one liners we know and love from the star. Schwarzenegger's interactions with his child co-stars are hilarious, and by throwing a ferret into the mix the producers round it out really. I also appreciated the film's efforts to explore the effect of broken homes upon kids, domestic violence and parental abuse.

Elsewhere, it can be rather twee and overly sentimental at times, but nowhere near the level that Spielberg overdoes it. The action is very limited and infrequent, so much so as to be barely worth mentioning. Instead this is a film that rests on the (very) broad shoulders of its star, who acquits himself well as the likable hero who ends up completely out of his depth.