History Film / KindergartenCop

* AdultFear: Despite the film's seemingly kid-friendly setting (and the hilarious premise of someone badass like ''Arnie'' being a kindergarten teacher), there's a kid with an abusive parent (and that the school didn't intervene until [[PapaWolf Kimble]] did, and even then he got chewed out by the principal for acting out of bounds), there's a drug dealer kidnapping his son and holding him hostage at gunpoint, and the climax being played exactly how when a legitimate threat enters the school grounds, with everyone reacting in complete panic...
** Rachel Crisp [[spoiler:(Joyce)]] has spent five years running from her abusive criminal husband and his associates to keep their son away from him. This apparently included several close calls and abrupt relocations she can't fully explain to her curious son (who hatches his own plans to deal with "the bad people", with dangerous results). And she can't confide in anyone, for fear they may sell her out to Crisp, or manipulate her and her son for their own agendas [[spoiler:as the police officially try to do, bargaining her safety for a testimony and the 3 million dollars she never actually stole]]. When Dominic goes missing to put up his lasers, Joyce becomes hysterical and screams at and hits Kimball.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: The informant pronounces Oregon as "Or-e-gone", as opposed to "Or-e-gun" as it's actually pronounced.

** When Kimble busts Crisp in the mall, the on-site cops don't simply take Kimble at his word that he's a detective and call in his badge while he confronts Kimble.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: When Crisp whisks his son away, he tries to encourage Dominic to recognize [[LukeIAmYourFather he's his father]]. He keeps expecting that somehow their introduction will magically spark some recollection and instantly turn their encounter into a BigDamnReunion. But Dominic hasn't seen his father since he was a baby and therefore doesn't know him from Adam. Between this and being kidnapped, the encounter just makes the boy more scared and confused than before.

* VillainsOutShopping: After Crisp and his mother are reunited, there's a sequence in which they gather necessary items for once they get Dominic back. Crisp buys a toy for Dominic (by knocking out a fellow customer who refused to re-sell it to him), and the mother and son bicker about her barrage of medication she buys for the kid (including a rectal thermometer and an enema bag).

* GratuitousGerman: Arnie says, "Das macht mich stinksauer! Jetzt bin ich sauer!" (That makes me really angry! Now I'm angry!) when he has to carry his sick partner (who's largely responsible for her own condition) inside.

--->'''Phoebe:''' Nah, he doesn't wanna eat that. He's a tough guy. Tough guys don't eat jello.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: When Crisp whisks his son away, he tries to encourage Dominic to recognize [[LukeIAmYourFather he's his father]]. He keeps expecting that somehow their introduction will magically spark some recollection and instantly turn their encounter into a BigDamnReunion. But Dominic hasn't seen his father since he was a baby and therefore doesn't know him from Adam. The encounter just makes the boy more scared and confused than before.

** It's implied that the reason John is uneasy with the idea of being around kids is because it just reminds him he's not with his son anymore.

* MamaBear: Principal Schlowski is in charge, and she lets Kimble know she's more than willing to blow his cover if she feels that her kids are in any danger.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: When Crisp whisks his son away, he tries to encourage Dominic to recognize [[LukeImYourFather he's his father]]. He keeps expecting that somehow their introduction will magically spark some recollection and instantly turn their encounter into a BigDamnReunion. But Dominic hasn't seen his father since he was a baby and therefore doesn't know him from Adam. The encounter just makes the boy more scared and confused than before.

* CutHimselfShaving: One child explains his [[AbusiveParents fresh bruises]] every day by saying "I fell down." [[PapaWolf Kimble]] doesn't buy it, and beats up the child's abusive father.

->''We're going to play a wonderful game, called; "Who is my daddy and what does he do?"''

* BigShutUp: Kimble does [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnOsKz8p1GI this]] to a room of kids when things got too chaotic, followed by a few smaller shut ups. Naturally, he makes the kids cry, which drives him to run outside and deliver a SkywardScream of frustration. It's probably the most memorable scene in the movie.

This film would serve as the [[InspirationForTheWork inspiration]] for the 2021 animated series ''WesternAnimation/StanLeesSuperheroKindergarten'', in which Arnold Schwarzenegger is a kindergarten teacher.

** Rachel Crisp [[spoiler:(Joyce)]] has spent five years running from her abusive criminal husband and his associates to keep their son away from him. This apparently included several close calls and abrupt relocations she can't fully explain to her curious son (who hatches his own plans to deal with "the bad people", with dangerous results). And she can't confide in anyone, for fear they may sell her out to Crisp, or manipulate her and her son for their own agendas [[spoiler:as the police officially try to do, bargaining her safety for a testimony and the 3 million dollars she never actually stole]].

* AlasPoorVillain: In another film, Cullen Crisp could have been depicted this way: an estranged father with a troubled past who desperately wants to reconnect with his son. [[spoiler:However, his violently abusive tendencies towards Joyce and even towards Dominic possibly triggered by the grief-stricken VillainousBreakdown he is undergoing make him a thoroughly unsympathetic individual. It is clear that Crisp himself believes he is a loving father unfairly separated from his son, but his violent behaviour shows how hollow and delusional this belief is.]]
* AlliterativeName: Cullen Crisp, Dominic's criminal father, and Dominic himself, born Cullen Crisp Junior.

* MoodWhiplash:
** The principal pretends to throw a punch herself, still bathing in the afterglow of John beating the crap out of the abusive father. It's a cute and funny scene and oh HOLY SHIT, did they just cut to a ''corpse's face?!'' The juxtaposition is jarring, to say the least.

* TonalWhiplash: When your film mixes cop drama with family-friendly shenanigans, it's inevitable to have a couple of instances of this. Example: Principal Schlowski proudly mimicking Kimble punching the abusive parent being followed... by a close-up of a dead girl in a morgue.

* SkywardScream: Arnold screams towards the heavens after the kids frustrate him again by crying.

''Kindergarten Cop'' is one of Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger's earlier comedic roles, following his comedy debut in ''Film/{{Twins}}''.

* MsExposition: Cindy. The girl delivers a very quick setup at the very beginning as the [[RedShirt guy]] pushes [[HeKnowsTooMuch her]] into the hiding place -- he already knows what he's going to tell Cullen, so there's really no reason she should be saying this to him [[TropesAreTools except to fill the audience in]].