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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_kid_and_i.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:''Make-A-Wish Foundation: TheMovie'']]
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4''The Kid & I'' is a 2005 {{Comedy}} film written by and starring Creator/TomArnold.
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6Bill Williams (Arnold) is a washed-up actor whose career went into a decline after he wrote and co-starred in the summer blockbuster ''Film/TrueLies''. He's saved from an aborted suicide attempt when he is hired by billionaire Davis Roman to write and star in a sequel, "Two Spies"; his adulation sours when he discovers the catch -- the movie is designed exclusively as a birthday-party wish fulfillment gift for Roman's son Aaron (Eric Gores), a die-hard ''True Lies'' fan who suffers from cerebral palsy. As complications pile up, Williams struggles to complete the project, and draws inspiration from Aaron's tenacity, optimism, and friendship.
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8''The Kid & I'' is best known for its BasedOnATrueStory roots -- the movie came about when Tom Arnold's neighbor, technology billionaire Alec Gores, hired Arnold to helm a movie starring his son Eric, and bankrolled the insanely elaborate present for his beloved son. It was quietly released in December 2005 to mixed reviews; Creator/RogerEbert and Peter Sobczynski enjoyed it for its sincerity and SelfDeprecatingHumor, while ''The Onion'' noted that its tiptoeing around Aaron/Eric's condition hampers the movie's potential.
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11!!This movie demonstrates the following tropes:
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13* AsHerself: The film's director Creator/PenelopeSpheeris (''Film/WaynesWorld'') plays the director hired to shoot "Two Spies."
14* AuthorAvatar: Bill Williams is this for Tom Arnold.
15* BasedOnATrueStory: The credits mention that the film is "Based on a sorta true story".
16* TheCameo: Celebrities appearing in the movie include Shaquille O'Neal, Whoopi Goldberg, Pat O'Brien, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
17* InspirationallyDisadvantaged: Aaron Roman, full stop, to the point of almost being a MartyStu.
18* NoAnimalsWereHarmed: The credits mention that no animals were harmed in the making of the movie, but Tom Arnold gained 10 pounds.
19* SelfDeprecation: Arnold's script is not afraid to take lots of good-natured jabs at his own expense.
20** Penelope Spheeris is hired to direct "Two Spies" because "she comes cheap."
21* ShowWithinAShow: "Two Spies," of course.
22* SpyFiction: "Two Spies" plays on every major action-spy cliche available.
23* StylisticSuck: "Two Spies" is produced with a noticeable lack of polish compared to real Hollywood blockbusters. Justified as it's essentially a big-budget home video.
24* ThrowItIn: In-universe. Nearly every movie suggestion from Aaron gets added to "Two Spies," as the cast and crew are afraid of upsetting his father.
25* VanityProject: In-universe. A variation is used, as "Two Spies" is not so much a vanity project as much as a gift from a (very rich) father to his son.

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