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Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jon Lovitz, Matthew McCurley, Alan Arkin ... see more see more... , Richard Belzer , Abe Vigoda , Dan Aykroyd , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Jason Alexander , Kathy Bates , Graham Greene (II) , Reba McEntire , Kelly McGillis , Alexander Godunov , Faith Ford , John Ritter , Lauren Tom , Keone Young , Robert Costanzo , Chad Allen , Matthew Arkin , Teddy Bergman , Marvin Braveman , John Candy , Darwyn Carson , Rosalind Chao , George Kee Cheung , Kim Delgado , Taylor Fry , Peggy Gormley , Dan Grimaldi , Mitchell Group , Helen Hanft , Glenn Walker Harris Jr. , Tony T. Johnson , Glenn Kubota , Brian Levinson , Philip Levy , Alan Rachins , Jussie Smollett , Fritz Sperberg , Ben Stein , Lillias White , Maud Winchester , Marc Shaiman , Alan Zweibel , Sarah Martineck , Bill Moores , Lola Pashalinski , Kelly Shenefiel , Peg Shirley , Larry B. Williams , Jane Jenkins , Janet Hirshenson , Alana Austin , Scarlett Johansson , Chuck Cooper , Lucy Lin , Jesse Zeigler

A boy divorces his parents in this comic fantasy for the family. North (Elijah Wood) is the sort of kid most parents dream of -- he's bright, well-behaved, a good student, and a great baseball player.... read more read more... But North's Mom and Dad (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander) are so busy with their lives and careers that they barely have time for him. A man dressed as the Easter Bunny (Bruce Willis) who serves as North's conscience and advisor suggests to him that if he's not happy with his parents, maybe he could do better elsewhere. North hires a lawyer, Arthur Belt (Jon Lovitz), who presents his case to Judge Buckle (Alan Arkin); the judge declares North a free agent, and he gives North two months to find new parents, otherwise he'll be sent to the orphans' home. North finds himself travelling the globe auditioning prospective parents, while a boy named Winchell (Matthew McCurley) thinks that North's legal victory could be the first step in kids taking over the world. North's would-be parents include Kathy Bates, Dan Aykroyd, Reba McIntire, and Kelly McGillis. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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30% liked it

13,169 ratings

Critics

11% liked it

19 critics

PG, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Release Date: July 22, 1994

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DVD Release Date: January 4, 1995

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Flixster Reviews (559)

  • riverdale237
    September 1, 2011
    riverdale237
    I love Elijah Wood. In fact, he is one of my favorite actors. His performances in "The Good Son", "Happy Feet" and "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy" were all spectacular. I also like Alan Arkin. He's not one of my favorites, but I like him. He did a pretty good job in every movie I... read more've seen him in apart from "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause". So when I heard of this movie, I thought it might actually be pretty good. Until I read Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert's review. Quote: "I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it."-Roger Ebert. He. Was too. Nice.

    First of all, this movies acting is down right awful. Elijah Wood, who plays North, does a downright awful job. It's probably one of the hardest thing's I've ever had to say in a review, but it is truly awful. Wood overacts and underacts, playing one of the most uninteresting and annoying characters I've ever seen. However, he was hardly the worst thing about the movie. That would be Matthew McCurley as Winchell, an evil 10 year old CEO with a diabolical plan to kill North. He shows about as much emotion as Matthew Broderick in Inspector Gadget and is about as menacing as "Turl" from "Battlefield Earth". I've seen more energetic acting from the Olsen Twins on "Full House".

    This movie can also be extremely racist and stereotypical at times. For example, there is one VERY controversial scene in which North is visiting an Eskimo family, who banishes their grandfather to death because he can no longer help the tribe. It sounds like a really emotional scene, but if you see the movie, it was definitely intended to be a joke. #1: Eskimos only did that in times of FAMINE and when they did, it was a very heartbreaking and emotional scene. #2: To joke about something like that is incredibly insensitive, especially considering this is a kids film.

    Speaking of jokes, this film is the farthest thing from funny there is. There is not ONE funny joke in this movie. Most of the time, they;re not even trying. It's like they read the script without any jokes, and then thought of a joke in like 2 seconds without looking it over. When they ARE trying, they try to hard, and the audience is confused over how it's supposed to be funny.

    This movie also has absolutely no logic. Kids can;t just divorce their parents. Divorce is a very long and complicated process. It takes months, and North probably would have been caught by then. Also, this movie makes parents look really bad. Parent's are the authority figures, they're out to protect you, they;re not just uncool and mean jerks. Basically, the lesson of this movie is "Parents suck, and treat them with as little respect as possible"

    This movie may be one of the absolute worst of the 90's. It's definitely in the top 10. No child should have to go through this kind of punishment. I'd rather watch "The Gameplan" and I absolutely HATED "The Gameplan".
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 27, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Every director suffers from one very bad film throughout his career in the case of Rob Reiner, that film is North. I remember watching this film when I was younger, and not liking it at all. I got the idea of the film back then, but now over fifteen years after this film was rele... read moreased, this film has absolutely no merit in entertainment. One thing that's shocking is that the film has a very good cast, but not even that can save this shameful film from disaster. The reason the film is bad, is the films premise. A boy divorces himself from his parents to find better parents. Hell, parents aren't supposed to be cool, they're the authority figure, and though most are very strict in many respects, a lot of them compensate by being fair. Hell I was brought up with that. I think that this film spits in the face of parents, and not only that, it insults the viewers intellect, and tries to say that their parents aren't worth a damn. This film isn't Rob Reiner's brightest career move, and that's a great shame because he's made some classics over the course of his career. This is the worst possible family film that you can possibly watch. I was a kid when this film came out, and I remember how bad this was. A good cast is wasted on such a terrible film, it's a great shame, because there's some impressive names attached to this piece of trash.
  • fb100002359227440
    May 27, 2011
    fb100002359227440
    Criative story, bad film. It's not so terrible like say, but still a crap. Rob Reiner's Unmasterpiece.
  • stormyweather980
    September 14, 2009
    stormyweather980
    Only movie I've ever seen Roger Ebert give zero stars too...why? It's not one of the best movies by a long shot, but it's average enough.
  • deano
    August 11, 2009
    deano
    Neglected "perfect son" Elijah Wood decides to become a free agent and trade in his parents for a more attentive couple, in this unsatisfying adaptation of Alan Zweibel's fanciful novel. Despite several dozen weighty cameo appearances, the parental "trial runs" generate no emotio... read moren, and a subplot involving a scheming young friend is quite irritating. Only Bruce Willis lends charm, as an unusual guardian angel.
  • seannasuti1
    July 16, 2010
    seannasuti1
    What do you get with a film that's so bad that Siskel and Ebert named it the worst movie they've ever seen in the time they've worked on their show. THAT is saying something, so that obviously can spell doom for this movie. Even though it has a pretty notable cast, there is not m... read moreuch that will help this movie redeem itself.

    North (Elijah Wood) is a child prodigy is who loved by all except his mom and dad (played by, I'm not kidding here, Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld). North is eventually convinced to divorce from his parents, but must now look for a new family. So North travels the world, from Texas to Hawaii, in search of a new family.

    My biggest problem with this movie isn't the fact that the humor is really dry and the cultures North meets don't represent what they really are, the biggest thing I see is what Bruce Willis, who plays the film's narrator, is forced to do in this movie. He has to wear a freakin bunny suit and say he's the Easter Bunny. One of the best action stars of all time is forced to do that? WOW!!

    And yes, the humor is pretty dry. I don't think many people have laughed at this movie.

    Even though this film has some big names, Bruce Willis, Dan Aykroyd, and two of the main actors from Seinfeld (as I've said), this film really has nothing helping it. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel were right. This movie is bad. This is really surprising, considering that Elijah Wood and Rob Reiner have done better films (Wood especially).
  • nadyajoensen
    May 15, 2010
    nadyajoensen
    I used to love this movie when I was younger, I thought it was much fun. Now as an adult I can see how this movie would seem tacky and silly, but I still cherish it in my heart from the time I was a kid. This movie has so many great actors and the story is very sweet.
  • SunilJawahir
    February 27, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    I like the premise but the results are so blah and ingenuine.
  • jim222001us
    March 22, 2008
    jim222001us
    It's sad for me to admit but I never had a problem with this movie. Critics consider it one of the worse movies ever made. I think it's pretty harmless though and original. Hell I wouldn't even mind watching it right now lol.
  • fb9426219
    October 14, 2012
    fb9426219
    The premise of a kid putting himself on free agency and picking his new parents seems like it could work. I also liked the classic message of the grass being greener on the other side of the hill relating that no parents. The movie just does not make the experience eventful enoug... read moreh. It has an awesome cast but with a few exceptions most of the talent is totally underutilized. It should have spent more time within each trial family. It would provide more good laughs and would use the cast better. It would also better reinforce the moral message of the movie as well. The movie comes off as flat because it glosses through a lot of ground too quickly and does not settle in for the purposes of comedy or for genuine heartfelt lessons. Winslow, the mastermind conspirator of was only distracting and hurt the movie. It is incredibly hard to hard to believe when you get Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Dan Akroyd, Reba McEntire, Jon Lovitz, Kathy Bates, Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus all involved that you get such a lackluster movie. It misses on the comedy level and the emotional level.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Full Review

David Nusair
January 9, 2011
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

It's rather surprising to note that - for its first half, at least - North is actually quite engaging and entertaining... Full Review

Steve Crum
May 28, 2005
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan

"North"? This movie sinks due south, deep into ground oblivion.

Michael A. Smith
January 1, 2005
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review

I happen to LIKE Bruce Willis in a bunny suit!

Martin Scribbs
July 5, 2004
Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian

Elijah Wood is very lucky that a certain hobbit trilogy came along to clear his record of this turd.

Michael Dequina
January 5, 2004
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

A brain-dead curiosity piece. Full Review

Frank Ochieng
June 4, 2003
Frank Ochieng, TheWorldJournal.com

Woeful and meandering...Reiner's direction is uncharacteristically choppy and uneventful

Betty Jo Tucker
July 29, 2002
Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Not up to Rob Reiner's usually high standard.

Rob Gonsalves
January 1, 2000
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

A witless exercise in adult-bashing. Full Review

Leonard Klady
March 26, 2009
Leonard Klady, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

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    • North: Hang on guys, I think I left my butter churner in the overhead locker. Floor it!
    • North: Hang on guys, I think I left my butter churner in the overhead locker, hah. [to pilots] Floor it!
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