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Movies / On DVD / Kids in America
Kids in America

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Kids in America (2005)

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Reviews Counted:33

Fresh:6

Rotten:27

Average Rating:4.2/10

Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Based on real events, Kids In America is a teen comedy about a diverse group of high school kids who band together to peacefully kick their principal's ass. Boasting an impressive cast of both... Based on real events, Kids In America is a teen comedy about a diverse group of high school kids who band together to peacefully kick their principal's ass. Boasting an impressive cast of both established stars and hot new talent, "Kids" tackles such issues as sex education, freedom of speech, and how to kiss for six minutes straight without losing consciousness from lack of oxygen. Holden Donovan (Gregory Smith) is fed up with Principal Weller (Julie Bowen) who goes to great lengths to stop the students from exercising their right to free expression. She expels a young woman for passing out condoms and advocating safe sex on national “safe sex” day and suspends two boys who were kissing in the hallway. Meanwhile, she is running for the Superintendent of their school district, which will give her a chance to practice her brand of administration beyond Booker High School. The students have an ally in Mr. Drucker (Malik Yoba) one of their teachers who encourages them to fight for their rights. He pays a price for his leadership and is fired by Principal Weller. He decides to use his dismissal to make a change of his own, by producing a documentary chronicling the experiences of students who are faced with similar issues. As the story unfolds, Donovan befriends a group of kids including love interest Charlotte (Stephanie Sherrin), Lawrence, Chuck, Walanda, Emily and Katie. Together they organize the student body to take on Weller and make real change at Booker High. --© Official Site [More]

Starring: Samantha Mathis, Elizabeth Perkins, Gregory Smith, Crystal Grant

Starring: Samantha Mathis, Elizabeth Perkins, Gregory Smith, Crystal Grant, Julie Bowen, Malik Yoba, Andrew Shaifer, Nicole Richie, George Wendt, Adam Arkin, Rosanna Arquette

Director: Josh Stolberg

Director: Josh Stolberg
Screenwriter: Josh Stolberg, Andrew Shaifer
Producer: Andrew Shaifer

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Reviews for Kids in America

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1 - 20 (sorted by comments; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
10/22/05
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
10/22/05
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Why did anyone bother making a teen movie after Heathers? No, really, why?

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
10/28/05
E! Online
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
10/29/05
Houston Chronicle

A muddled mess whose message gets lost in the confusion.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/21/05
Angel Cohn
Angel Cohn
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Leaving the expression of 17 year-olds to the care of 35 year-old men is a good pathway to mediocrity, and a sure promise of insufferable, bogus screenwriting.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
10/23/05
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
eFilmCritic.com

boy, does it kick goals! There's some real fun to be had here

Full Review Source: Moviehole | comment Comment
09/12/06
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

Proceeds to rip off every teen flick from Heathers to Napoleon Dynamite.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
10/18/05
Drew Tillman
Drew Tillman
Village Voice

Like a bad episode of 'Saved by the Bell: the Next Generation' as filtered through 'Free to Be, You and Me'

Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | comment Comment
10/20/05
Edward Douglas
Edward Douglas
ComingSoon.net

You get the exhausting feeling that Stolberg is desperately trying to prove how cool he is.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
10/21/05
Elizabeth Weitzman
Elizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily News

occasionally approaches a provocative topic... only to scurry back into the safety zone of slapstick and put-downs.

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
10/22/05
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

Makes the mistake of thinking it's a lot funnier and a lot more clever than it actually is.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/21/05
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Short on real teenage angst and emotion, the film is long on caricatures.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
10/20/05
Jennifer Frey
Jennifer Frey
Washington Post

'Rock 'n' Roll High School' rejiggered for idealists, with the youngsters mobilizing for gay rights and freedom of speech instead of sneaking off to the Ramones.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
10/21/05
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Would be easier to root for if it weren't so very pleased with itself.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/21/05
Justin Chang
Justin Chang
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

For sheer nerve, I give it full marks, even if it can't quite overcome its limitations in other areas.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
10/27/05
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A comedy so inane and tedious that it buries its premise and its various worthy points under too many arch and improbable shenanigans and endless dialogue, much of it seriously under-inspired.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
10/20/05
Kevin Crust
Kevin Crust
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Even after 18 years of seeing every movie that plays here, I’m still surprised by some films. I even gave this one conflicting ratings.

Full Review Source: KWQC-TV (Iowa) | comment Comment
11/02/05
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
KWQC-TV (Iowa)

While a title card at the beginning of the picture says the story is inspired by true events, it really should read, 'Inspired by another film.'

Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger | comment Comment
10/21/05
Lisa Rose
Lisa Rose
Newark Star-Ledger

Filmmaker Josh Stolberg claims to have been inspired by real-life events, but mostly he ineptly rips off other movies and wastes a cast that includes Rosanna Arquette, Adam Arkin and Elizabeth Perkins.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
10/21/05
Lou Lumenick
Lou Lumenick
New York Post
 
 
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