# Kids The Movie. Is it really that bad or is it worth seeing?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 13, 2003, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531 "2003-06-13T09:57:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/21 "2003-06-24T03:41:31Z")
It’s a very loose, open-ended kind of movie, where you have to make up your own mind how you feel about what you see. I think it’s the kind of movie certain people dislike because it’s not cut and dry – it doesn’t tell them what to think or how to feel about the story that unfolds, which makes some people uncomfortable.
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### Author:  [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/22 "2003-06-24T07:43:37Z")
Pure smarm. You get to cluck about how fucked up contemporary kids are, while you ogle their exposed bodies. Contrary to some stated opinions, that’s about as deep as it gets for this film.
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### Author:  [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/23 "2003-06-24T16:44:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> You get to cluck about how fucked up contemporary kids are, while you ogle their exposed bodies.
Well, that’s kind of one of the points. These kids ARE adult sexual creatures at a time when they aren’t supposed to be according to “societal norms”. They ooze sexuality. They speak about it, they joke about it, and they most certainly do it. I found that most of the scenes with the sex disturbed me more than aroused me. But it is undeniable the children are presented in a highly sexual manner and I suppose for some it might just be eye candy. But for me it raises some difficult questions about age and sexuality. Alot of people would like to pretend that kids aren’t so sexually active, but the (perhaps unfortunate) reality is that a growing number are - I don’t really have a cite for that it’s just based on my personal experience, so take it for what it’s worth. Similar issues were raised in a less titilating manner in the movie “Beautiful Girls”. I felt quite uncomfortable with how attracted I was to a twelve year old who was wise beyond her years (brilliantly played by Natalie Portman). Is sex about a number or a connection? Some cases the answer seems obvious, but there are a lot of gray areas that it is interesting to see explored.
Another movie that took up the issue of sexuality in a youngster was “The Professional”. This time a younger Natalie Portman. Apparently there is a directors cut called “Leon” out there with an extra 22 minutes that show the assasin actually has sex with the young girl and she also actually kills somebody. And of course there is always Lolita.
I guess my point is that I think there is more to the movie than T&A . . .
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### Author:  [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/24 "2003-06-24T17:13:11Z")
**dj** - _Leon_ is a drama, a love story, a social commentary, and has some amazing action sequences. This, as I understand it, was the film released everywhere else in the world that this was shown.
In America, we got _The Professional_, which was most of _Leon_ with a whole bunch of the actual acting and drama and interesting human story cut out, which made it a slightly better than average action movie. I suppose it was less “shocking”, but it’s a far inferior film, IMHO.
LC
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### Author:  [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/25 "2003-06-24T20:09:23Z")
I definitely have to check that out. I just recently heard about “Leon” and was shocked. The Professional is one of my all time favorites and from what people have described “Leon” is a MUCH better cut. Wonder if they sell it in American stores?
DaLovin’ Dj
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/26 "2003-06-24T21:18:49Z")
Of course _Kids_ is worth seeing. I’ve seen it 48 times. They’re all like that, you know, these teenage girls . . . yesss . . . they’re all asking for it, all the time . . .
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### Author:  [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/27 "2003-06-25T00:29:50Z")
To me, it seemed like an after-school special, at least in it’s message. It was interesting, horrifying in a way, but really it’s not that deep.
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### Author:  [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/28 "2003-06-25T00:45:37Z")
I don’t take issue with the sexualization of teenagers so much (Anime? Music industry? No new ground being broken here) as with Clark enabling the audience to have it both ways: Exploit the kids by proxy while professing shock at what they’re doing. Most filmmakers choose quite comfortably between moralizing and exploitation.
A better summation of my problem with Clark is the video footage of shateboarders wiping out painfully. Is he capturing them in the act of what they’d be doing anyway, or are they putting themselves at awful risk just because he’s standing there with the camera and an offer of 20 bucks? He’ll claim the former; I suspect the latter.
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kids-the-movie-is-it-really-that-bad-or-is-it-worth-seeing/181531/29 "2003-06-29T05:04:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by BrainGlutton \*
> \*\*I found the kid (forget his name) who keeps on deflowering virgins a little implausible . . . I mean, what’s his secret? He’s not very good-looking, he’s not bright or charming, and he’s just barely capable of human speech. \*\*
The girls have little to no self-esteem, and he acts like he’s better than them.
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