There’s Something Wrong With The Kids (2023) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)
For those who find kids creepy, “There’s Something Wrong With The Kids” will have you give a side eye to any and all kids throughout your travels – even your friends’ kids.
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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For those who find kids creepy, “There’s Something Wrong With The Kids” will have you give a side eye to any and all kids throughout your travels – even your friends’ kids.
| Director(s) | Roxanne Benjamin |
| Screenplay By | T.J. Cimfel, Dave White |
| Based On | N/A |
| Date Released (Video On Demand) | January 17, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Drama, Fantasy, Horror |
| Duration | 1 Hour and 32 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Not Rated |
| Noted Cast | |
| Ellie | Amanda Crew |
| Margaret | Alisha Wainwright |
| Lucy | Briella Guiza |
| Spencer | David Mattle |
| Thomas | Carlos Santos |
| Ben | Zach Gilford |
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Film Summary
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For Ellie and Margot, bringing their spouses to a nice cabin in the woods seemed like a good idea. For Ellie, it means her kids, Spencer and Lucy, could rip and run, and she could try to get some alone time with her husband, Thomas. As for Margot? With so much going on with Ben, getting to bond with Ellie, hearing the gossip about her marriage, and so much more, it is a nice change of pace.
But, a nice little getaway becomes creepy, if not deadly, after discovering an abandoned fort and the kids being drawn to a deep hole. One that leads to Ben being the first to recognize something is different about them and being unable to be taken seriously until it is too late.
Things To Note
Why Is “There’s Something Wrong With The Kids” Rated Not Rated
- Dialog: Cursing throughout
- Violence: Murder, blood, violence against kids
- Sexual Content: None
- Miscellaneous: Drinking, depictions of maggots and other creepy crawlers
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Ellie
Ellie was lucky enough to make a family with her college sweetheart, but after opening their marriage for a night, things are off, and she worries that things might only get worse between her and Thomas.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Eve Carver in the upcoming “Some Other Woman,” Monica Hall in “Silicon Valley,” and Ms. Perry-Geller in “Mr. Corman.”
Margaret aka Margot
Margaret is the breadwinner in her relationship, and while she understands Ben is trying, it seems to have made her think they are better off focusing on stability and their careers than having kids.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Nicole Warren in “Raising Dion,” Maia Roberts in “Shadowhunters,” and Maggie in “Palmer.”
Spencer
Spencer is the youngest of Thomas and Ellie, at 9 years old, who may adore and love playing with his sister Lucy, but also has a mind of his own.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Paxton in “Life & Beth”
Lucy
Lucy is Thomas and Ellie’s oldest who loves this monster card game and is better able to hide the changes brought on by the light than her brother.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: An unknown role in the upcoming “Atlas,” Antonia Del Toro in “The Terminal List,” and Lindsey in “Ambulance.”
Thomas
A bit more macho than Ben but still holding onto some insecurities, Thomas is chill for the most part. At least until Ben starts accusing his kids of crazy things.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Maurillo in the upcoming “Honeymoon Friends,” Chris Morales in “Gentefied” and Greg in “Border Patrol.”
Ben
While Thomas and Ellie are having marital problems, Ben and Margaret aren’t doing a whole lot better, it is just they aren’t openly sharing. For one of their issues is Ben’s mental health making it difficult for him to hold down a job sometimes. Hence, he is the perfect target for Lucy and Spencer when they decide they want to play.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: A unknown character in “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Agent Daniel Pedersen in the upcoming “Hombre,” and Gregg in “Good Girls.”
Review
Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)
Notable Performances or Moments
Brielle Guiza and David Mattle
If there was ever a reason to research vasectomies, it is because of these two kids and their performances. From Spencer not being able to hold back wanting to torture Ben, and then Lucy just playing with people? Making it very clear she is the mastermind, and you are a plaything she’ll discard when bored? Oh, the effect these two kids have on how you may perceive children I would liken it to how Black men who date White women looked at them after “Get Out.”
Highlights
The Parental Drama Outside The Kids
Though the kids are a major highlight, honestly, before they started acting suspicious and creepy, the parents had more than enough going on. Ellie and Thomas were having marital issues due to them trying to spice up their marriage, and that backfiring. Then for Margaret and Ben? Being that Ben has a mental health issue, it seemed that may have been the root cause of why she and Ben didn’t have kids like Ellie and Thomas.
Now, the exploration of the relationships stops once Lucy and Spencer start screwing with Ben, but I’d say it could be rather easy to find yourself ready to watch some late 20s or early 30s adult drama.
On The Fence
You Don’t Learn Much About The Being Which Took Over Or Replaced The Kids
For better or worse, the thing in the pit the kids are drawn to and taken over by remains a mystery. We know it is akin to a praying mantis, but whether it is a mutated insect or this is some “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” type film is hard to say. You’re left with little to no details beyond seeing an insect’s shadow and hissing and chittering being how Lucy and Spencer communicate.
Which for some might be fine because details can ruin many a horror movie. But for others, like me, lacking details can feel like the easy way out since explanations require deepening the narrative beyond the thrills and blood splatter.
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