The Kid
By Renee Schonfeld,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Loving coach helps teen box his way out of family conflict.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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What's the Story?
Teen Jimmy Albright is passionate about boxing. He's very good at it, special even, and Harry (Rod Steiger) his friend and trainer has told him so. But Jimmy's parents are dead set against the boy's participation; they've forbidden it. Against his better judgment and with great guilt and difficulty, Jimmy defies his family and sneaks out for both training and competition. His best friend, Russell, has the opposite problem. He hates the sport, but is desperate to win his widowed father's approval. Each boy seems to have the wrong dad. Confrontations with the club bully, an overwhelming medical issue, the upcoming city boxing championship, and Jimmy's parents discovery of their son's deception all serve to heighten the suspense.
Is It Any Good?
Set in a wintry Canada, this is an earnest picture, competently told, and it will tug on some heartstrings. But there's a lot of boxing to get through and it won't appeal to everyone.
It's a familiar story -- kid wants to succeed at a sport and must overcome obstacles to achieve his goal. In this case, the main obstacle is a disapproving family. The filmmakers make a good argument for boxing for teens -- "It's about testing yourself, not hurting people" and "It's about overcoming fear." They compare it to other contact sports like hockey and football, deciding it's "less violent" than those. To their credit, the opposition (Jimmy's dad) makes its own strong case, about "barbarism," injury, and "combat." It's left for the audience to decide; Jimmy made his choice early on and that's never in doubt.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the filmmakers try to present both sides of the argument about boxing as a sport. Are they successful in giving you something to think about? Do you agree with their final position?
What did Harry mean by stressing "heart" when he counseled Jimmy?
Do movies like The Kid encourage you to follow your dreams? What other movies like this have influenced you?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 21, 2002
- Cast: Jeff Saumier , Ray Aranha , Rod Steiger
- Director: John Hamilton
- Studio: Melenny Productions
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Friendship
- Run time: 88 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: boxing and mild thematic elements
- Last updated: March 3, 2022
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