The Kid Detective is a clever idea. Considering all the books and TV shows that have been made about young kids acting as detectives, it's kind of fun to explore what might become of one of those kids when they grow up. In this case it's a darkly comedic look at a man who never fully matured and failed to move on with his life, because of one particular mystery that he was never able to solve. I was able to connect quite well to the comedic tone of this film. It's not traditional jokes, but a subtle undertone of dark comedy, and I could see some people watching the movie without even sensing that it is intended to be funny. It plays on a number of the tropes that most of us know from when we were growing up reading/watching things like the Hardy Boys, Scooby-Doo, etc.
Perhaps I wouldn't have as much fun with The Kid Detective if it weren't for the fact that there was also a solid mystery woven into the whole thing. It would have been easy for them to just play with the concept and then leave it there with a by-the-numbers story. However, I was genuinely puzzled by this film, and had trouble putting the pieces together, even though they do a decent job of slowly revealing clues along the way. It's a well-written whodunnit with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I also appreciate that there are layers to the mystery, and we are never completely sure if this kid was ever a good detective at all. Since the flashbacks are stylized in a way to make them feel like his own personal recollection of how he remembers things, we are left wondering if he was as good as his memories made him out to be.
Adam Brody did a solid job in the lead role, and he sold all the emotion of The Kid Detective. There are a number of scenes where there isn't much going on, but you can sense the importance of those moments based on Brody's expression (or lack thereof.) Sophie Nélisse is his co-star, but she doesn't get quite enough to do in the film. I was hoping she would play a more active role in the investigation rather than just tagging along. It is vital that she not be around for some scenes, though, and her somewhat hands-off role as "the client" makes sense because this film is also emulating a classic film noir. All these genres meshed quite well, and made for a movie that I found surprisingly entertaining, and will definitely recommend to others.
Perhaps I wouldn't have as much fun with The Kid Detective if it weren't for the fact that there was also a solid mystery woven into the whole thing. It would have been easy for them to just play with the concept and then leave it there with a by-the-numbers story. However, I was genuinely puzzled by this film, and had trouble putting the pieces together, even though they do a decent job of slowly revealing clues along the way. It's a well-written whodunnit with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I also appreciate that there are layers to the mystery, and we are never completely sure if this kid was ever a good detective at all. Since the flashbacks are stylized in a way to make them feel like his own personal recollection of how he remembers things, we are left wondering if he was as good as his memories made him out to be.
Adam Brody did a solid job in the lead role, and he sold all the emotion of The Kid Detective. There are a number of scenes where there isn't much going on, but you can sense the importance of those moments based on Brody's expression (or lack thereof.) Sophie Nélisse is his co-star, but she doesn't get quite enough to do in the film. I was hoping she would play a more active role in the investigation rather than just tagging along. It is vital that she not be around for some scenes, though, and her somewhat hands-off role as "the client" makes sense because this film is also emulating a classic film noir. All these genres meshed quite well, and made for a movie that I found surprisingly entertaining, and will definitely recommend to others.