The Kid Detective (2020)

Directed by: Evan Morgan | 100 minutes | comedy, drama | Actors: Adam Brody, Kaitlyn Chalmers-Rizzato, Sophie Nélisse, Kaleb Horn, Wendy Crewson, Jonathan Whittaker, Brent Skagford, Steve Gagne, Giovanna Moore, Jesse Noah Gruman, Talyssa Therrien, Olivia Williams, Carter Kowal, Griffin Wardle

In his youth, Abe Applebaum (Adam Brody) was a much-loved child detective. He solved minor mysteries for the residents of the town of Willowbrook, where he was considered a local hero. However, his success ended abruptly when his good friend Gracie Gulliver disappeared. Despite his investigation, Gracie went missing, quickly destroying Abe’s reputation.

Years have passed, but Abe, now 31, is still a detective. However, nobody seems to trust him as a serious researcher anymore. Abe therefore prefers to spend his days drinking and playing video games, irritating everyone around him immensely with his sluggish behavior. Everything changes for Abe when high school student Caroline (Sophie Nélisse) enters his office. The girl wants to hire him to investigate her boyfriend’s murder. Despite Caroline’s inability to pay him, Abe takes the case right away. After all, it is high time that the child detective got back into action.

‘The Kid Detective’ is an ironic, yet cheerful comedy. The script is full of witty dialogue and it tells a solid detective story. Evan Morgan’s directorial debut acts not only as a mixture of comedy and crime, but also as a homage to the classic film noir. Clichés from related films are quoted and put forward time and again. Despite everything, the whole never feels exaggerated or forced. Although the atmosphere of his film is largely cheerful, Morgan also knows how to draw attention to serious subjects. He succeeds surprisingly well in this. Not all themes are treated equally accurately, but most are, which can also be said about the characters in his film. The main character is especially well developed.

The greatest asset of ‘The Kid Detective’ is actor Adam Brody, as the film’s titular anti-hero. Brody, mainly known for his more comedic roles, gets the chance to prove himself as a serious actor here. His character is humorous, but at the same time deeply tragic. Abe Applebaum is someone who is trapped in his younger self, someone who has never taken the step to develop. On the one hand you hope that he realizes his dreams, on the other hand you hope that he will finally take his responsibilities. And then there’s the murder case, which has comparisons to the disappearance of his childhood girlfriend all those years ago. Abe’s decisions to solve this case are anything but honorable. Still, you hope for an outcome. While you as a viewer fluctuate between exactly what you feel and want from Abe, he does this himself, from the adult he is to the little child detective who lurks inside him.