Catch That Kid

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
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Common Sense says

age 9+

Painfully bad. A real head-scratcher.

PG 2004 92 minutes
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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie has some crude humor and schoolyard language. Characters are in peril, including a car chase scene that might be too intense for younger children. Some children may also be upset when Maddy's father is paralyzed. The real parental concern, however, is the movie's apparent endorsement of lying, cheating, stealing, manipulation, and irresponsible behavior.

Community Reviews

N T.
N T. Adult
March 24, 2018
age 11+

Okay Movie For Older Children - But Watch Out For Those Messages!

Both my 7 and 10 year old loved this movie. As a parent, I was mildly engaged in the story line. There were good actors in the story and the writing was sound. There were a few points of dislike for me: There's the normal -the girl is super-strong and independent while the boys play support- theme popular currently. I didn't love that there was a "love triangle" in the story between the two boys and the girl. It's resolved nicely in the end, but it sends a poor message about friendship with girls and lying (even if there is a compelling message). They throw in a naked image of a character from Sponge Bob's backside. Really tired of the focus on butts in kids programming for the last 10 years or so. I caught one bad word, "damn". There's a weird but innocent enough scene where all three kids are lying in bed and talking, and one where the girl laughs when the boy burps. (Sorry, crude humor in kids programming really irks me. Makes it really hard to raise boys with good manners when every film and tv show makes passing gas and burping funny.) Oh, and there's the idiotic security guards. This is a common trope but considering our political climate, sending a message that law enforcement is unintelligent, bumbling, megalomaniac fools... is not cool. So I didn't enjoy that about the movie. I have a family member in law enforcement, so I pay attention to these types of images as well. Of course, all of this probably goes over the kid's heads but you never know what impressions really stick with a child. Overall, it's not a bad film but because of the points I've highlighted, I wouldn't let me sons watch it again. After the movie, you may want to sit down and talk to your kids about the role of law enforcement in the community, lying and relationships with girls.
Creator of Internet
Creator of Internet Adult
June 17, 2012
age 8+

Awesome Movie

Common Sense Media will be erased by me. Cheesy and horrible review site.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Kristen Stewart (Panic Room) plays Maddy, a young girl who inherited her father's love for climbing. He becomes paralyzed from an injury he received climbing Mount Everest, and his only hope is an operation that costs $250,000. The family's insurance won't cover it and they cannot get a loan. So Maddy decides to steal the money from the bank. Maddy, whose mother (Flashdance's Jennifer Beals) designed the bank's security system, gets a tour, taking pictures and getting the security code. Maddy's two best friends, Gus (Max Thieriot) and Austin (Corbin Bleu), agree to help her with the heist.

Is It Any Good?

The real robbery in this senseless movie is 90 minutes from the lives of the people who watch it. CATCH THAT KID is a movie about a child bank robber who heartlessly manipulates her two best friends and risks the lives of her friends, her baby brother, and everyone else in her path. And she's the heroine! What were they thinking? The kids do their best, the robbery has one or two clever twists, and there are a couple of funny moments, but the script is so fundamentally misconceived that it is, well, a crime.

The head-scratching moments just keep coming. Why put Taxi Driver references in a movie for children? Is it supposed to be funny or admirable that a child lies about physical abuse in order to persuade a sympathetic adult to give him the information he needs to knock over a bank? Should children find it acceptable to steal from a bank because the boss is really mean? And what is James LeGros doing as an inept security guard who gets knocked out by his own cattle prod-like Taser?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what made Maddy decide that it was all right for her to steal from the bank. How did she consider the risks and the benefits? A famous study several years ago found that when presented with a question like the one Maddy faced -- should you steal in order to get medical treatment for a family member -- boys were more likely to say yes and girls were more likely to say no. Why do you think that might be? Families could also talk about the lies Maddy tells and the lie her mother tells.

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