Sam Simms is a Secret Service agent assigned by his superior Wilkes to protect President Paul Davenport's rebellious 13-year-old son Luke Davenport after Luke's behavior causes another agent Woods to be replaced for mistreating Luke in front of media cameras. Woods is later fired because of this mistreatment and for failing his physical. Simms sees this assignment as undesirable, but a possible stepping stone to protecting the President. He fails to connect with the boy at first, and Luke continues to misbehave, including an incident where he releases his pet snake Poison into a White House party. After seeing Luke get beat up by the school bully Rob, his parents punished him for the fight, even though he didn't start the fight. Because of the re-election, they can't risk Luke going out of public for a month while his parents are on the campaign trail. Simms feels sorry for him - he had felt alone as a teenager, too - and they become friends. Simms, a former boxer, agrees to sneak Luke out against the wishes of the chief of security Morton and teach him how to fight. Meanwhile, Luke agonizes over asking the cutest girl, Katie, to the school dance, which he finally does successfully with Simms's help. On the night of the dance, a duffle bag is left outside of the White House and Luke is not allowed to go due to the security risk, even though his parents gave him permission. Simms pities him and, breaking the rules again, he takes him to the dance. There, Rob tries to attack Luke again while Simms is distracted, but this time Luke puts him down. After that, Secret Service agents bust the school dance and retrieve Luke. Simms is fired and not allowed to speak with Luke, who is crushed that his friend has apparently "abandoned" him. Luke, under house arrest and with a homing device attached to him, receives advice from an online friend, Mongoose12, on how to escape the White House and meet him at a local mall. Luke agrees, but it is revealed that Mongoose12 was in fact former agent Woods, who abducts him. When Luke goes missing, Simms is given another chance to protect him. With the help of his friend Harold, he quickly tracks Luke to the mall. In a standoff, Woods says he was originally planning on returning Luke to the President so he could be a hero and get his job back, but now he wants to kill him instead. He blames Luke for making him lose his job, and even his wife. Woods tries to shoot Simms, but he takes cover and once Woods is out of bullets, Simms brings him down with a right uppercut. As other agents arrive, Woods tries to shoot Luke with a back-up revolver but Simms jumps in front of Luke, causing him to take the intended bullet in his arm. Woods is also shot, subdued, and arrested by other arriving Secret Service agents for abduction, assault, and attempted murder. In the final scene of the film, Simms is offered Presidential duty which he declines in order to stay with Luke full time, so he can also spend more time with Luke's biology teacher, with whom he has formed a romantic relationship. Luke is relieved of his last punishment, and while playing street hockey with friends, hits Simms in the forehead with the puck, resulting a chase-off between Simms and Luke.
This film would turn out to be the final on screen appearance of Sonny Bono before his death in 1998, who, at the time of the film's release, was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Sonny plays himself as a Congressman coming to the White House, to visit the President. Simms bumps into him outside the Oval Office and fawns over him. It is the only major, scripted film that a then sitting President appeared in.
Ratings
When First Kid was rated for video release by the BBFC, one minute and thirty one seconds were cut, due to the hostage attack in the shopping mall. At the time, the BBFC felt that this, and the sudden onslaught of violence, were too intense for a 'PG' certificate. In 2002, all cuts were waived for a 'PG' rating.
Reception
Box office
The movie debuted at #3.
Critical response
gives the film a score of 23%, based on reviews from thirteen critics.
