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A Kid Like Jake poses some truly interesting possibilities -- many of which are lost in its overly cautious approach to an admittedly sensitive subject. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

Alex Wheeler and her husband, Greg, are trying to find the right primary school for their 4-year-old son, Jake. Described as gender-expansive by his adviser, Jake's increasingly erratic behavior starts to cause a rift between the couple. Alex worries that the adults in her son's life are labeling him prematurely, while Greg wonders if Jake's fondness for dressing up might be more than just a phase.
  • Rating:
    R (Some Language)
  • Genre:
    drama
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Silas Howard
  • Producer:
    Jim Parsons, Todd Spiewak, Eric Norsoph
  • Writer:
    Daniel Pearle
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $44.8K
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    IFC Films, Double Nickel Entertainment

Cast & Crew

Claire Danes
Alex
Jim Parsons
Greg
Octavia Spencer
Judy
Priyanka Chopra
Amal
Ann Dowd
Catherine
Amy Landecker
Sandra
Leo James Davis
Jake
Rhys Bhatia
Sanjay
Silas Howard
Director
Daniel Pearle
Screenwriter
Jim Parsons
Producer
Todd Spiewak
Producer
Eric Norsoph
Producer
David Bernon
Executive Producer
Jackie Bernon
Executive Producer
Hilary Davis
Executive Producer
David Gendron
Executive Producer
Steven Capitano Calitri
Cinematographer
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News & Interviews for A Kid Like Jake

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Critic Reviews for A Kid Like Jake

All Critics (49) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (24) | Rotten (25)

  • Danes gives it her very considerable best, but there is something weirdly inhibited about this movie.

    September 2, 2020 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian

  • It's a demonstration of a parent's most innate instinct: to protect their child, while also intimating that love and understanding is the ultimate protection.

    August 27, 2018 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Robert Daniels

    812filmreviews

  • It's a daring premise, which makes Howard's fluffy approach to the material all the more frustrating.

    June 27, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

    J.R. Kinnard

    Seattle Times

  • But the filmmakers seem to hold back from other confrontations, and their subplots involving the boy's pushy grandmother (the great Ann Dowd) and a brittle client (Amy Landecker) of the therapist father ultimately fizzle.

    June 21, 2018 | Full Review…

    Leah Pickett

    Chicago Reader

  • The movie's premise sounds like it should be the basis for a barbed satire of the finest proportions. Instead, it opts for a tone that is decidedly sober and lacking any kind of sharp edge.

    June 14, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

    Randy Cordova

    Arizona Republic

  • Some of this material is too sensitive, granted, to have a very young actor play it. But "Jake" goes too far the other way, giving us only glimpses of the boy, who emerges as more of a symbol than a real child.

    June 13, 2018 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    Carla Meyer

    San Francisco Chronicle
View All Critic Reviews (49)

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