Film

Kidco

Name: Kidco
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 1984
Cast: Scott Schwartz, Clifton James, Charles Hallahan, Margaret Blye, Basil Hoffman

Comedy

A 1984 comedy-drama about four kids who start a fertilizer business at their father's country club, only to discover that success brings unwanted attention from the IRS, competitors, and other forces determined to shut them down. It's scrappy, earnest, and genuinely interested in both the entrepreneurial dream and its complications. Ideal for families who like their stories grounded rather than saccharine.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy small-scale capitalism stories where scrappy kids outmaneuver grown-up bureaucracy with a straight face and a sense of mischief.

Skip it if the comedy is gentle and unhurried, and if you want sharp jokes or a brisk plot, the hustle will feel slow and the kids' schemes rather thin.

What it asks of you: Settle in for a modest 105-minute stretch of low-key mischief that builds slowly, rewarding patience with a wry, easygoing charm rather than big set pieces.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Goonies1985

Kids on a mission against adult odds, working together with scrappy ingenuity to solve problems and dodge larger forces. The same energy of childhood resourcefulness meeting real stakes, though The Goonies tips toward adventure where Kidco stays practical.

But It's an action-adventure romp that works on spectacle; if you're looking for the quieter character study that Kidco offers, this will feel padded.

My Science Project1985

Teenagers trying to make something work despite adult skepticism and authority standing in their way. Shares Kidco's interest in young people as capable agents rather than obstacles, even if the stakes are more outlandish.

But Veers hard into sci-fi thriller in the second half; some of the '80s effects work has aged visibly.

Trading Places1983

A story about how business actually works—schemes, competition, regulation, the way money flows and gets defended. The comedy operates through real economic logic rather than simple gags.

But Considerably darker in its view of human nature, and much more cynical about whether anyone deserves to succeed.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Kidco

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Iron Giant1999

Both treat their settings and characters with affection rather than condescension, and find the dignity in small-town American life and child agency.

An animated film that captures something Kidco intuited: the texture of American 1950s small-town life, kids as protagonists with real agency, and genuine tenderness toward ordinary people navigating something larger than themselves.

But It's animated, which some viewers dismiss; it's also more overtly sentimental than Kidco, and the Cold War backdrop may feel imposed.

Reuben, Reuben1983

A character study wrapped in comedy that takes its human relationships seriously while never losing humor. Shows adults and young people in genuine negotiation with each other.

But Slower and more introspective than Kidco; if you want momentum, this will feel slight.

The Bad News Bears1976

Underdogs organizing themselves to compete, with an adult (Walter Matthau) who's messy and real rather than heroic. Same spirit of kids and flawed adults figuring things out together.

But The tone is cynical about institutions in ways that might feel dated or heavy if you're after something lighter.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High1982

An ensemble comedy about young people navigating real economic pressure, peer dynamics, and work. Shoots for both humor and honesty about what teenage life actually costs.

But Considerably more sexual and drug-focused; Kidco is a family film, and this very much is not.

Stand by Me1986

Kids on a journey together, learning about themselves and their friendships through real challenge. Values their interior lives and relationships as much as plot momentum.

But Darker and more elegiac; this is memory and loss, not scrappy enterprise.

Coming Soon1982

Teenagers trying to make their own film as their entry point to independence and creativity. Another story about young people discovering what they can actually do.

But It's slight and doesn't build much narrative momentum; the appeal is mostly tone and observation.

Zapped!1982

A teen comedy that's neither cynical nor condescending, genuinely interested in its young characters as people with agency and humor.

But Relies heavily on '80s special effects that haven't aged well, and the plot is tissue-thin.

My Pal Trigger1946

Both center young characters whose labor and choices matter materially, and both are genuinely unironic about work and care.

A Roy Rogers film where the central relationship is between a boy and his horse, built on care, responsibility, and economic precarity—a kid working to keep what he loves. Kidco's spirit of young people as economically consequential agents runs through this Western in an utterly different register.

But It's a 1946 Western musical; if that premise alienates you, nothing here will change your mind.