The burden that comes with early success is something that can be quite the albatross when the rest of your life never quite seems to match that potential. Such is the case in writer/director Evan Morgan’s twisty and darkly comedic debut The Kid Detective, which quietly debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last year before sneaking up and surprising as one of the great discoveries of 2020. When Abraham “Abe” Applebaum was a cute little kid, he made quite the splash in his sleepy little town by solving relatively petty crimes such as sussing out who stole the school fundraising money. While essentially viewed as a gimmick, Abe consistently proved himself as a skilled detective who was highly sought after by both his classmates and local law enforcement. In this idyllic, idiosyncratic town, the residents even went as far as setting him up with his own little agency complete with his own girl Friday who he paid in soda pop. This is not a children’s story, though, and the picturesque town was shattered when a young girl was abducted. As the town looked to Abe to crack the case, it snapped into focus that he was really just a kid in over his head.
Flash forward nearly twenty years and Abe (Adam Brody, The OC) is still set up in his quaint detective agency, albeit with much less support from the town. The missing Gracie was never found, which weighs heavily on Abe as he continues to solve the few menial cases that come his way; finding missing cats, deducing a person’s sexuality, etc. Abe is a bit of a mess as a human being; he went from being the toast of the town to someone with a minor drinking problem who often loses track of what day of the week it is and occasionally forgets to brush his teeth. It seems like a minor miracle that he can get enough cases to pay his dismissive assistant (Sarah Sutherland, Veep). His reputation as a “kid detective” around town has morphed into something that feels altogether sad and unwanted. A potential chance for redemption comes his way when a young Caroline (Sophie Nélisse, The Book Thief) comes to Abe in hopes of finding the person who brutally stabbed and killed her boyfriend Patrick. It is the exact type of case he was not equipped to solve when he was a kid, but he truly believes things can turn out differently this time.
The inventive script from Morgan offers a nuanced blend in tone that allows this one to stand alone as something really special. Think a more realistic version of the deadpan humor of Wes Anderson mixed with the sleek neo-noir of Rian Johnson’s Brick and you might be somewhere in the ballpark. Adam Brody has proven himself to be quite adept at playing the charming, kinda nerdy/neurotic guy, but this role serves as one of the strongest uses of his multi-faceted personality. When Abe is fully aloof and downtrodden, you do sympathize with the pain he feels from past mistakes. But when he gets reinvigorated by his new investigation, you cheer for Abe as he tries to regain the respect that he lost. This journey is aided by the presence of the beguiling Caroline, who forms a lovely non-romantic bond with Abe as the first person to believe in him in a long time. The case itself provides some very awkward, hilarious moments before confronting a truth that is extremely sinister and shocking. The jarring shift in tone could have been a complete tonal misfire in less deft hands, but Morgan bobs and weaves through these developments like a champ.
For a film that is positioned foremost as a dark comedy, it is a bit shocking to find how utterly engrossing and ingenious it is as a mystery. The investigation takes you on a journey filled with shady drug dealers, infidelity, jealousy, and so much more. No matter how seemingly superfluous certain moments are initially, the story thoughtfully ties everything together in a way that is so satisfying. A recurring gag of Abe hiding in closets, a trick picked up from his youth, pays off in both extremely humorous and extremely nerve-racking ways at different points in the story. Everyone wants Abe to part ways with his desire to be a detective, but his determination might just be the thing that changes everything for this town that has lost its joy. The Kid Detective is one hell of a feature debut from Evan Morgan, who has created a world filled with complex characters embarking on explorations that have staggering ramifications. The entire cast put in such fun performances that make an already excellent script shine even more. The Kid Detective is the type of imaginative storytelling that makes you remember why you love movies.
Video Quality
The Kid Detective comes to DVD with a 480p transfer that is quite beautiful for the format. This DVD offers up an impressive amount of detail from the production design to clothing. Compression artifacts are present without being overwhelming. Black levels are quite strong with only a minimal amount of blocking. Colors are nice and fairly vibrant, especially in the bright daytime scenes that serve as the primary setting for the film. The cinematography of the film skews a bit on the darker side, but there are some moments where bright colors are allowed to pop off the screen.. Skin tones look natural, and there are some decent facial details present, especially after Abe gets beat up and is left with bruising on his face. This presentation is just about as good as a DVD can look. There is also a Blu-Ray available for this film that was not made available for review. This movie has an aesthetic that would be worth checking out on that format.
Audio Quality
The DVD comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio track that sounds pretty great. The film is mostly dialogue driven, but the suspenseful, noir-appropriate music in the film gives the track some life. Dialogue is mixed well and comes through crystal clear without ever being stepped on by the score or any sound effects. The music by Jay McCarrol provides an effective undercurrent throughout the movie that fills the surround speakers. Directionality is rendered accurately so that sounds originate from all the natural spots. Environmental sounds such as background chatter or various car sounds add a dynamic touch to the proceedings. Although there is not constant activity in the track, it presents the movie exactly as it was intended and that is really all you can ask. The disc also includes optional English SDH subtitles.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
The Kid Detective seemingly popped out of nowhere and earned a spot as one of my favorite films to be released in 2020. The film delicately balances the dark humor with the genuine thrills that the mystery conjures up throughout the story. Adam Brody makes the most of this role that highlights all of the best aspects of his personality. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a DVD that has a solid A/V presentation for the format, but those interested in the film should just spring for the Blu-Ray if you are going to invest your hard-earned money. This is definitely a title that is worth seeing in the best quality possible. Highly Recommended
The Kid Detective is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.