Don't let the words "Disney" or "comedy" fool you. The Kid is pure unadulterated sentimental codswallup at its drippy best. The story is almost a baby boomer's version of A Christmas Carol. The hero is Russell Duritz, who, at a few days from his 40th birthday, is leading his life in the fast lane as an image consultant. He cuts through the frou-frou to tell people the painful truth about themselves and then charge them an exorbitant fee to hide that truth from everyone else. Is he loveable? No! Is he comic? Most definitely not. Even the great comedy master Lily Tomlin in the role of Russell's oppressed assistant doesn't come off as funny, just tired.

No, Russell is a just a middle aged snot with issues. So his psyche decides to come to the rescue, in the form of his 8-year-old self, forcing Russell to take time out and ponder reality. The 40-year-old Russell is played with charm by Bruce Willis. It's a great role for him, he's relaxed and doesn't overplay the role at all. It also seems Willis works really well with children. In this case, it's with Spencer Breslin who plays the 8-year-old Rusty, and he is just as adorable as can be. A little plump, with all the idiosyncrasies a cute kid should have, Breslin is enough to make the hardest hard melt. The scenes between Breslin and Willis are really sweet.

For all that, I warn you not to take your kids. The cuteness of Willis and Breslin aside, this film is not amusing or even terribly entertaining to anyone other than self-absorbed baby boomers who, at the onset of deepening crow's feel and serious hair loss seem compelled to ponder the wanton wasteland of their lives.

The overwhelming sentimentality of the film is engaging, however, and no doubt sympathetic audience members will find themselves pondering their own childhood and reliving long gone dreams and plans for the future.

I'm ambivalent about this movie. There were parts that I just loved, and the self-absorbed baby boomer in me bought into the whole fantasy. But for the most part, I think The Kid lives up to its title. Kids are surely engaging, but mostly so when they're yours.


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