The Kid (PG, 2000)

Russ Duritz (Bruce Willis), an "image consultant" who spends his time diverting public relations disasters, making everyone around him miserable, and being miserable himself. Duritz hides from his hurt and loneliness by working all the time, being thoughtless and insensitive to everyone he meets, and forgetting his feelings and that he ever had them. But he can't escape his feelings. Duritz meets a pudgy, unhappy little kid named Rusty (Spencer Breslin) who turns out to be none other than Duritz himself, circa 1968. At first, Duritz is embarrassed by his younger self. He says, "I look at him and all I see is awful memories -- memories I've been spending most of my life trying to forget." He decides that Rusty can't go back until he helps him. But he learns that Rusty is there to help him, too. Duritz has spent his entire professional life making over other people, with his first subject himself. But he needs to remember who he really is inside that image. Why does he have a problem with dry eyes? Why does he get so angry when people cry? What is it about his past that "doesn't want to stay in the past?"

Bruce Willis has great talent as an actor and enough charm to keep him on the A-list despite a few clunkers, but he is simply the best there is when he plays opposite a child actor. There's a reason for the legendary advice to stay away from kids and animals on stage, because they draw all the attention away from even the most accomplished adult performer. Some actors who appear with kids can't resist showing off or trying to out-adorable them. But Willis treats his kid co-stars as though they are the only two people in the world. He is not afraid to let the child actors get the attention. The result is two terrific performances at the heart of a surprisingly funny and endearing movie.

THE KID is a Disney movie, and it has an old-fashioned Disney ending. Only the hardest hearts will refuse to be warmed. It is also very funny and genuinely insightful.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Cast: Bruce Willis, Emily Mortimer, Spencer Breslin
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 104 minutes
Theatrical release: July 7, 2000
DVD release: January 23, 2001
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: boxing action and mild thematic elements