Problem Child (1990)

Title: Problem Child

Intro
"Problem Child" is a 1990 American comedy movie directed by Dennis Dugan. The film was produced by Robert Simonds. The story centers around a naughty adopted child, Junior, and his experiences with his new family. The film stars Michael Oliver, John Ritter, Amy Yasbeck, and Jack Warden.

Plot Summary
"Problem Child" commences with two burglars leaving an orphan named Junior at a doorstep due to his mischievous behaviors. This leads to a series of stopped working adoption attempts, marking Junior as the most feared child at the orphanage. Meanwhile, a dedicated male Ben Healy (John Ritter) and his better half, Florence Healy (Amy Yasbeck) from the nearby neighborhood, choose to explore parenity by adopting a kid - that being Junior.

Upon adoption, Junior's chaotic, casual behaviors continue, and it does not take long for Ben and Florence's peaceful life to spiral into insanity. Beyond adopting his meals to the ceiling, befriending mean-spirited family pets, and triggering historic chaos at birthday parties, Junior even tries to set his adoptive bed room on fire, which alarms the family and their nosy neighbors. Nevertheless, Ben establishes a genuine attachment to Junior, regardless of his extremely destructive routines and the unfavorable effect his behaviors have on their life.

Junior's devilish pranks likewise include sabotage efforts at Ben's task. He sends out funny love notes to secretaries on Ben's behalf, producing a significant mess and making Ben a target of his manager's wrath.

Simultaneously, Junior is targeted by the Bow Tie Killer (Michael Richards), a well-known killer and con artist who manipulates Junior's desperation for friendship to rope him into his wicked strategies. A subsequent abduction, a solemn bank break-in, and a high-speed chase, happens which eventually results in the arrest of the Bow Tie Killer.

Conclusion
In spite of the absolute mayhem and the unruly journey it takes to get there, Ben understands that he genuinely likes Junior and views him as his own. Recognizing this, Junior also accepts Ben's unconditional love.

At the heart of the story, the message is that the true essence of family does not necessarily count on biological relations, however love, approval, and understanding. Junior's behavior is portrayed as a cry for love and approval, which his brand-new dad - Ben, is more than happy to provide.

For this reason, the film ends on a sweet note, depicting the delight and laughter of Ben and Junior as they lastly understand and accept each other. "Problem Child" all along provides a light-hearted, unruly funny with a spray of sentimentality.

Public Reception
Although the movie has actually been criticized for its simplified plot and outrageous humor, "Problem Child" has gained a cult following throughout the years. Its extraordinary wit, slapstick funny and humorous expedition of the adoptive relationship in between Ben and Junior, make it a satisfying watch. Despite its blended action, "Problem Child" succeeded enough to spawn 2 follows up, "Problem Child 2" and "Problem Child 3: Junior in Love", in addition to an animated series.

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