THE KID DETECTIVE

Canada, 2020, 100 minutes, Colour.

Adam Brody, Sophie and Elyse, Wendy Crewson, Jonathan Whitaker, Jesse Noah Gruman.

Directed by Evan Morgan.

At school, Abe was a whizz at solving some mysteries, missing goods, stolen goods, miss behaviour. He had quite a reputation and the newspaper headlines and pages to prove it, framed in his office.

But, at 32, he has fallen on lean times, a disappointment to his parents, a secretary who seems to disapprove of him, drinking a lot, minimal cases for him as an adult detective. His played by Adam Brody.

There is a story of a murder, a young Asian student from school, his body found, 17 stab wounds.

The young Asian (Patrick) has a girlfriend from school, Caroline. One day she comes into Ames office and asks him to investigate. He is wary, bumbles a lot, but she insists, even driving him around, trying to help with information.

So, this is a somewhat offbeat private investigator mystery, a whole range of subjects, young people from the school, drug dealers from the school, a visit to Patrick’s anxious parents, targeting one of the boys from school (going to his house, hiding in the closet, the boy’s younger sister finding him and is being taken to the police station).

He also has interviews with the school principal whom he knew from his own school days and solving one of the mysteries. He also breaks into the principal’s house – with revelations about the principal’s behaviour, the disappearance of a young girl from school, and quite a plot twist when she is found alive and her relationship with Caroline.

An easy entertainment, variation on private investigation.

1. The title, expectations? A, at school, precocious, solving cases? The transition to adulthood, decline, drinking, careless? And a final case to solve? Becoming a hero?
2. A Canadian production, the Canadian town, homes, school, offices, the streets, the river? The musical score?
3. The introduction to A, at 32, in decline, his office, his secretary and her attitude, the newspaper headings on the wall? Past achievement? His status in the town, criticism of his parents?
4. Abe is a boy, his abilities, the students coming to him, his solutions, quick, achievement, the school principal and his case? Gracie, her disappearance? The ice cream store, a lifetime of ice cream? Admiration for him? The newspaper headlines? Family pride?
5. The present, his office, not getting jobs? Caroline, in his office, her story, at school, her relationship with Patrick, his death, many stab wounds, the search of the river? The secretary and the mineral water? Abe deciding to take the case?
6. The investigations, hit and miss, interrogating the kids, the drugs, the store? His hitting the young kid? Patrick’s parents and their concerned? His promises? The student, at his computer, under suspicion, his sister and the computer? Abe searching the house, the snacks in the drawer, hiding in the closet, getting out, his arrest, the police interrogation?
7. Caroline, her concern, help, driving a, puzzles? Her background, grandparents?
8. The visit to the principal, discussions of the past, the principal and his reputation? Memories of the initial case?
9. Abe, suspicions, searching the principal’s house, his being discovered? Confrontation with the principal, the story of Gracie, the baby, Caroline? The principal stabbing himself?
10. Abe, searching the grounds, the heart, finding the adult Gracie, her condition?
11. Revealing the truth to Caroline, her accepting it?
12. Abe, his parents happy with him, the magazine articles, his achievement, a hero in the town?