Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American action comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Murray Salem, Herschel Weingrod, and Timothy Harris. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as John Kimble, a tough Los Angeles police detective who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher in a small Oregon town to locate the ex-wife and son of a dangerous drug dealer. The cast also includes Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt, Richard Tyson, and Carroll Baker. The film marked the second collaboration between Reitman and Schwarzenegger following the success of Twins (1988), continuing Schwarzenegger's shift into comedic roles after years of action-film stardom. Several actors, including Bill Murray and Patrick Swayze, were considered for the lead role before Schwarzenegger was cast. Production involved location filming in Astoria, Oregon, where scenes at the fictional elementary school were shot at John Jacob Astor Elementary School, with additional interior filming completed at Universal Studios Hollywood. The film's musical score was composed by Randy Edelman. Released in North America by Universal Pictures on December 21, 1990, Kindergarten Cop was a commercial success, grossing about $202 million worldwide, ranking among the highest-grossing films of the year. Critical reception was mixed, stating that the plot was too adult for children and too childish for adults. However, reviewers praised Schwarzenegger's comedic performance and his willingness to subvert the tough action-hero image that had defined much of his career. A standalone sequel, Kindergarten Cop 2 (2016), starring Dolph Lundgren, was later released direct to video.