One of my all time favorites.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The seven-year-old orphan Junior (Michael Oliver) has been rejected thirty times by his foster parents since he was a baby because he is wicked. He worships the criminal Martin Beck (Michael Richards) and wears a a bow tie just like his idol. Ben (John Ritter) is a good affectionate man that dreams on being a father. However his flashy wife Flo (Amy Yasbeck) is infertile and he convinces her to adopt a child. The couple is lured by Mr. Peabody (Gilbert Gottfried) that manages an orphanage and they adopt the little devil Junior. When Ben's father Big Ben (Jack Warden) meets the boy, he immediately tells that Junior is evil. Soon Ben learns that his father is correct; will he call off the adoption? "Problem Child" is a brainless film with unpleasant characters. Ben and the psychologist are dorks; Junior and Martin Beck are mean; Big Ben is selfish and Flo is ambitious and unfaithful. The situations are politically incorrect bu also very funny. If the viewer shutdown his or her brain, he or she will find a hilarious movie and laugh a lot. The best scene is the interview of the psychologist with the psychopath criminal. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): "O Pestinha" ("The Little Devil")

Problem Child was a funny and hilarious film. This was one of the best funny family films of all time. Michael Oliver did excellent playing as Junior. John Ritter and the whole cast did excellent as well. This movie is fun film for all families to watch, the problem child series is a all- time favorite.A recommendation for all of those who love comedy family films. This one is must watch. A funny adventure film of the 90's.Some people thought this film was terrible, but they were wrong. Problem Child is the best and beyond the funniest family film. Michael Oliver did great as Junior and shined through he was crazy LMAO yet funny throughout the series. Awesome flick!

"Problem Child" released in late summer 1990 (thus predating "Home Alone" by a few months) was a surprise "hit" despite scathing reviews. How this film became a hit is beyond me because this is a completely inept and awful film. It's amateur hour from beginning to end as to its direction, writing, and acting.The plot: a childless suburban couple consisting of a good-hearted, kind husband (John Ritter) and his shallow, social-status seeking wife (Amy Yasbeck) are conned into adopting the "problem child" of a Catholic orphanage. This repulsive child named "Junior" and played by the repulsive looking and utterly talentless Michael Oliver promptly turns their lives into a dysfunctional hell as he plays pranks on and physically assaults anyone who crosses him. Michael Richards in a pre-Seinfeld role makes an appearance as Junior's idol, a bow-tie wearing serial killer, and Jack Warden collects a paycheck playing John Ritter's creep-politician dad.Director Dennis Dugan, whose career has inexplicably spanned decades thanks to his long working association with Adam Sandler, either is completely talentless (a strong possibility considering his work with Sandler) or he simply didn't care (another strong possibility considering his work with Sandler). The performances across the board are unspeakably awful with the scenes with the kid actors appearing to have been done in one take with minimal direction. The performances of the various child actors shouldn't have passed muster for a grade-school play production, let alone a feature film! Still, the late John Ritter (a very likable actor) and Michael Richards were professionals and did what they could with their horribly written characters, but no one emerged with their reputations enhanced from this film. Due to being it being a surprise hit with undemanding kids, Ritter got roped into the even worse sequel but said never again to continuing on with the series.The ONLY redeeming value of this film is that it's so inept and so awful that its pure wretchedness actually may provide some unintentional entertainment value. One can laugh AT IT rather than WITH IT. Thus, I notched-up my rating to two stars instead of one.

Ever since I saw this on TV when I was little, I've loved this movie! I love the the plot and direction of this movie and thought everyone was cast perfectly. Junior is a mean-spirited kid that nobody wants. When Ben and Florence Healy consider adopting a kid, Mr. Peabody persuades them to take Junior. Soon after, havoc ensues. My favorite scene is at the birthday party when he throws presents in the pool, puts exploding candles on the cake, and puts pickles in the piñata. Everybody in Ben Healy's life starts hating Junior, but Ben doesn't want to give up, until Junior drives the family car into Ben's dad's store. When a psychopathic killer escapes, he kidnaps Junior and Florence, but at first, Ben doesn't care, until he finds out that the entire time, Junior liked him. Ben saves Junior and tries to stop the bad guy! I highly recommend PROBLEM CHILD!!!