This movie is definitely reminiscent of the glorious 90s. The clothes, the hairstyles, the scenery, the attitudes...the complete and utter lack of iphones or cell phones at all haha. In fact, if cell phones had been mainstream at this point the movie would have ended rather quickly!This movie is obviously very far-fetched as most screwball comedies are. One of my favorite story lines though are ones that take place in a day's time like this and which start from something simple which escalates ridiculously. Aside from being very funny it is also heartfelt at times. It is interesting how this chaotic and seemingly dangerous experience strengthened the relationship between the main workaholic character and his emotionally neglected children. He was not a bad guy and he was obviously working so hard to keep them in the lap of luxury but it was clear that along the way he forgot what was important. This hectic day reforged the bond he once had with his children or perhaps never had at all. Some elements with the gun violence/comedy are difficult to watch now as the world has become a much more dangerous place since 1996. If you have never seen this movie before, try to keep that in mind that this is 1996. I do not think a family comedy made now would make light of using guns in a funny way. Perfect movie for people who grew up in the 90s, not sure if modern day people who have not seen it already would enjoy it as thoroughly. Check it out and see!

I don't like Tom Arnold movies, period. Though, the miracle has happened. I liked this one, and so much to be frank. This script has it all. We follow a hostage situation, leads on the run, teen love story, odd couple comedy, bad guys vs. good guys, big fight in a carnival, from zero to hero, rescue in the nick of time, happy ending. And the beautiful thing is that all of that worked too. There were good casting, lines, and chases. However what did overtop everything was the way how this movie mixed comedy with action. Important to mention that it has one of the greatest jumps ever done by a car in the history of cinema; and of course I mean the one which ends the mall's sequence. That was ultra enjoyable and totally unforgettable. David Paymer was born to play that beaten executive and exhausted father. Tom Arnold played that slick desperate carnival owner-turned-criminal finely and, believe it or not, he was funny ! The younger team was fabulous. And the real dessert was Rod Steiger as the scary (naturally) tycoon Mr. Hammerman, a role that couldn't be sweeter without his presence. He won a character which looked like a parody of his film persona, and this movie won him as it too. Wait for his last scene, it's a lovely surprise !So it's nice fun. And when it comes to Arnold; rare nice fun! Therefore, why all the HATE?!!! I may ascribe not being a commercial hit to the 2 leads' not so flashy charisma; which's the movie's possible flaw. But I still don't know why (Carpool) wasn't fairly appreciated, as a whole, by anyone? There is such a nasty superiority towards it, while praising pure crap produced under the name of art ! I read that Rotten Tomatoes' critics gave it a 0% rating. Well, 0% rating from me to them then !Finally, watching a good Tom Arnold movie equals seeing actual UFO. Accordingly, (Carpool) is filled with many extra-terrestrials !

At first glance, you start watching this movie and wonder if you accidentally turned to the Idiot Channel, because you can't possibly imagine someone actually getting PAID so much to act so poorly. Is this what it has come to? Cheap hacks of real actors like Tom Arnold, and kid actors that made McCauley Culkin in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" ALMOST a pleasure to watch.If this is the kind of movie to which our children turn for entertainment, then I'm scheduling an appoint with my urologist first thing tomorrow morning for a VASECTOMY!The only ENDEARING quality I can give the movie is that Colleen Rennison makes the Olsen twins look like something out of a Wal-Mart circular, but it's not worth seeing the movie when you can see her cameos in great T.V. series like Stargate SG-1. I'm being sarcastic, of course.

From Tom Arnold, I never expect much, considering his background. (Roseann Barr's manager/husband, who sprang from the same Colorado trailer-park roots). Even so ..."Carpool" tries to be an energetic circumstance-comedy, yet it winds up vacillating between frenetic and dull. When nothing is happening, you fall asleep, and when too much is happening, you wonder what all the fuss is about. Not worth going into more detail, but worthy of remark is the sad fate of Rod Steiger, who finds himself in his sunset years being bundled in with no-talent hacks like Arnold. David Paymer isn't bad either, but ... Rhea, why are you here? You'd think Danny could find you something better. Oh, well. I gave it three stars (with two of them being a nod to Rod Steiger for his unrewarded role in "The Pawnbroker"). However, I had to subtract two for being any movie with Tom Arnold in it. Then I added one once more for Paymer's brave attempts to keep things afloat. Net result = 2