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Parents' Guide to

I Hate Kids

By Michael Ordona, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Sexual theme, some swearing in tepid comedy.

Movie PG-13 2019 89 minutes
I Hate Kids Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 9+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 5+

Accurate to the unraveling truth of don't judge a book(movie) by its cover! Absolutely lovely

A unraveling picular love story of family, friends, and the spirit that brought it all together!! A feel good family love that will continue to be a feel good family fun for time's.
age 10+

Funny Comedy I could watch with my Kids!

The movie is really funny, with a great cast! I recognized so many of the actors from movies and cool shows like, Better Call Saul and Preacher. Of course, Tom Everett Scott is in so many movies and Tituss Burgess if from Kimmy Schmidt, but there are actors here from Mad Men and other shows. I laughed so much and so did my kids. The premise is about a guy who had many ex girlfriends and has to find out who the mother of his newly discovered son is, but it isn't blatant to younger children so that part goes over their heads. The MAJORITY of the movie is just fun, entertaining comedy that the whole family can watch. Refreshingly, there are no bad words, no sexual situations, nothing raunchy. It is a great cast so the acting is fantastic. The whole movie is funny. Tom Everett Scott is funny as is the kid and put Tituss in there it is a great trio....Fun movie that you can safely watch with your family so everyone enjoys the movie.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (5 ):

The dialogue is pat and the story beats predictable, but there are a few yuks in this comedy, largely thanks to skilled supporting players. From its title, you know immediately how I Hate Kids is going to turn out. Scott has some enjoyable moments as a reformed lothario who's reluctantly revisiting a bunch of women he encountered and abandoned in the past. Burgess, as you might expect, milks laughs out of facial expressions and his relationship with his cute dog. Sydney and Kelly's scenes produce the film's best chemistry, with Seehorn's unrelenting skepticism of Nick stealing much of the movie. Casting director Mary Jo Slater also scored with some of the bit players, including Arden Myrin as an unhinged ex and Rico E. Anderson as a hot-and-cold CHP officer. And for some reason, the wonderful Marisa Tomei shows up for a minute.

Many of the gags fall flat, given their obvious setups (gee, wonder what's going to happen when Nick talks to a karate instructor he dumped?). But the main problem with I Hate Kids is that the emotional beats are taken for granted. Despite a game turn by Boston, Nick and Sydney have no rapport. We know from the start that the film will be about Nick's evolution into wanting to be a father and that Sydney will probably arrive at the same place. But their journeys aren't convincing. There's no emotional reality. Similarly, when Mason is potentially meeting his mother for the first time -- over and over, with different candidates -- there's never a sense of anticipation or disappointment for either him or Nick, so there isn't any for viewers. I Hate Kids doesn't make much of an effort to persuade us that its characters love each other, and it doesn't do more than move us to the occasional chuckle.

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