Imagine wandering the aisles of your favorite video rental store back in the day, scanning the Comedy section. Your eyes land on a familiar shock of white hair – Leslie Nielsen – and maybe right next to him, the delightfully manic energy of Christopher Lloyd. The movie? Rent-a-Kid. The premise alone, plastered right there on the glorious oversized VHS box, was enough to raise an eyebrow and probably elicit a chuckle. Renting children? Like a VCR or a power tool? It sounded utterly absurd, yet somehow, perfectly pitched for a mid-90s family comedy.
This 1995 film, directed by television veteran Fred Gerber, wasn't exactly a multiplex sensation – it actually debuted on Showtime before finding its true home on countless rental shelves. But oh, what a concept! It taps into that uniquely stressed-out parent fantasy: "What if we could just... try out kids before committing?" Or, from the other side, what if kids stuck in an orphanage could get a trial run with a potential family? It’s goofy, it’s high-concept, and it leans heavily on the considerable comedic talents of its leads.
Welcome to Harry's House of Hires
Our guide into this bizarre rental scheme is Harry Haber, played with characteristic oblivious charm by Leslie Nielsen. Fresh off his iconic run in The Naked Gun series, Nielsen here dials back the outright slapstick just a notch, playing a salesman who inherits his father's rental store. Faced with stacks of unsold inventory, Harry has a brainstorm only a character in a 90s comedy could: why not apply the rental model to the children at the local orphanage? He convinces the initially skeptical, but ultimately pragmatic, orphanage director Lawrence "Larry" Kayvey, brought to life by the wonderfully quirky Christopher Lloyd (forever Doc Brown from Back to the Future in our hearts), to give it a go.
The first "customers" are Russ and Valerie Syracuse (Matt McCoy and Sherry Miller), a couple overwhelmed by work and contemplating adoption but terrified of the commitment. Harry convinces them to take three siblings – the responsible older sister Molly (Tabitha Lupien), the mischievous middle child Brandon (Amos Crawley), and the adorable, near-mute youngest, Kyle (Cody Jones) – for a ten-day trial period. What follows is predictable chaos, bonding, life lessons, and exactly the kind of heartwarming resolution you’d expect.
Nielsen & Lloyd: A Tag Team of Familiar Fun
The real draw here, let's be honest, was seeing Nielsen and Lloyd share the screen. Nielsen brings his effortless deadpan delivery to lines that highlight the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, treating child-rearing mishaps with the same earnest confusion he applied to catching criminals as Frank Drebin. He’s the well-meaning catalyst for the story's gentle chaos. Christopher Lloyd, meanwhile, gets to play a slightly more grounded (for him!) character, but still infuses Larry with that signature eccentric energy, grappling with the ethics and logistics of Harry’s wild idea. Their interactions are a highlight, two masters of comedic timing playing off each other, albeit in a much gentler sandbox than some of their other famous roles.
Writer Paul Bernbaum (who would later pen the Harrison Ford/Josh Hartnett action-comedy Hollywood Homicide) crafted a script that knows exactly what it is: a sweet, occasionally funny, family-friendly romp. It doesn't aim for deep psychological insights or biting social commentary. It aims squarely for the heartstrings and the funny bone, often hitting the mark with a comforting predictability that was part of the charm of grabbing a movie like this for a weekend viewing. You knew you were in for something light, something safe, something that would leave you feeling vaguely fuzzy.
Made-for-TV Charm and VHS Legacy
You can definitely feel the film's television roots. The production values are modest, the pacing is brisk, and the emotional beats are clearly signposted. But this isn't necessarily a criticism for the VHS Heaven crowd. There’s a certain comfort in that straightforward storytelling, a lack of pretense that feels refreshing compared to some of today's overstuffed blockbusters. It was filmed primarily in Toronto, Canada, doubling for its American setting – a common practice for productions looking to stretch their budget, which undoubtedly wasn't massive for a cable TV movie premiere.
Rent-a-Kid even managed to spawn a sequel the following year, Rent-a-Kid 2: Rent-a-Mom (sometimes known as Family Plan), though Nielsen was the only major cast member to return. It speaks to the original's quiet success on home video and cable – clearly, enough families rented the first one to warrant another outing for Harry Haber. Did we desperately need more? Maybe not, but it’s a testament to the original’s unassuming appeal.
This movie wasn't going to change your life, but it probably brightened a rainy Saturday afternoon. It's the kind of film that feels like a warm, slightly worn blanket – familiar, comfortable, and imbued with the specific flavor of mid-90s optimism and silliness. Seeing Nielsen navigate kid-related catastrophes or Lloyd trying to maintain order amidst Harry's scheme… it just worked back then, providing reliable laughs and a guaranteed happy ending.
Rating: 6/10
This score reflects Rent-a-Kid for what it is: a charming, if lightweight, family comedy carried by its legendary leads and a truly memorable high-concept premise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and you can see the plot turns coming a mile away, but Nielsen and Lloyd are endlessly watchable, the kids are appealing, and the overall feeling is undeniably sweet. It suffers a bit from its predictable TV-movie structure and doesn't quite reach the comedic heights of its stars' best work, but it delivers exactly the kind of gentle fun promised by that eye-catching VHS cover.
For a dose of pure, unadulterated 90s family flick nostalgia, you could do far worse than revisiting Harry Haber's unorthodox rental business. Just don't try this at home, folks.