1994·Comedy·1h 27m
6.8
★
Eleven-year-old North has had it with his parents. They are always busy with their careers and don't give North the attention he needs, so he files a lawsuit against them. The judge rules that North should either find new parents or return to his own parents within two months. Thus North starts off on a journey around the world to find parents that really care about him.
Directed by Rob Reiner
parent child relationship
child prodigy
young boy
travel
based on children's book
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Elijah Wood
North
Bruce Willis
Narrator (voice)
Jason Alexander
North's Dad
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
North's Mom
Jon Lovitz
Arthur Belt
Alan Arkin
Judge Buckle
Dan Aykroyd
Pa Tex
Kathy Bates
Alaskan Mom
Graham Greene
Alaskan Dad
Faith Ford
Donna Nelson
Robert Costanzo
Al
Reba McEntire
Ma Tex
Crew
Rob Reiner
Director
Alan Zweibel
Screenplay
Marc Shaiman
Original Music Composer
Adam Greenberg
Director of Photography
Rob Reiner
Producer
Alan Zweibel
Producer
Peter Montagna
Makeup Artist
Alan Zweibel
Novel
Janet Hirshenson
Casting
Bruce McBroom
Still Photographer
Patricia Birch
Choreographer
Erik Cord
Stunts
Popular Reviews
53 reviews
Brendon
2.0★ · 03/17/26
What the fuck was Rob Reiner smoking?I've been avoiding this for years now, but Reiner's shocking passing, and my apparent impromptu exploration of Dan Aykroyd's filmography, pushed me to watch this. 'North' is very much a reputation movie, infamous for spawning Roger Ebert's tirade of "I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie"; also, a Nostalgia Critic review I watched on loop when I was 10. Did it live up to its reputation? Is it as bad as everybody says it is? Is this a hidden gem? Yes, yes, and no.
This movie is fucking cursed; this is the only film role of Brynn Hartman, who went on to murder her husband, Bill Hartman. I'm glad that Rob Reiner was ultimately happy with this movie, but this is so confused and unfunny while trying to have heart; difficult for a movie where Bruce Willis talks about his genitals to a young Elijah Wood. Given that 95% of this movie is a dream, this confirms that North is one of the most racist characters in cinematic history. The stereotypes here are genuinely astounding, and never feel like satire.
Dan Aykroyd and Reb McIntire play Pa and Ma Texas, who dress as cowboys, love guns, eat lots of ribs, and sing a musical number set to the Bonanza theme. The Hawaiian characters talk about how little they know about the alphabet and put up a tourism billboard that shows a 12-year-old Elijah Wood's ass. Graham Greene and Kathy Bates in brownface play Alaskins who live in Igloos, and push their older relatives in the ocean on blocks of ice. Most Amish people are named Ezikel, and they mock them for not having electricity. There is so much here involving Chinese, African, and French stereotypes that this seems like it was written by somebody who was demented.
This movie tries to dabble in the surreal while mixing sentimentality, but it always comes across as artificial. This is such an awkward, distilled, and entitled experience. Elijah Wood is fine, but pretty much everybody around him is phoning it in. I love Rob Reiner too much to rate this any lower. He gave us so many incredible movies, and 'North' is... definitely not one of them.
What the fuck was Rob Reiner smoking?I've been avoiding this for years now, but Reiner's shocking passing, and my apparent impromptu exploration of Dan Aykroyd's filmography, pushed me to watch this. 'North' is very much a reputation movie, infamous for spawning Roger Ebert's tirade of "I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie"; also, a Nostalgia Critic review I watched on loop when I was 10. Did it live up to its reputation? Is it as bad as everybody says it is? Is this a hidden gem? Yes, yes, and no.
This movie is fucking cursed; this is the only film role of Brynn Hartman, who went on to murder her husband, Bill Hartman. I'm glad that Rob Reiner was ultimately happy with this movie, but this is so confused and unfunny while trying to have heart; difficult for a movie where Bruce Willis talks about his genitals to a young Elijah Wood. Given that 95% of this movie is a dream, this confirms that North is one of the most racist characters in cinematic history. The stereotypes here are genuinely astounding, and never feel like satire.
Dan Aykroyd and Reb McIntire play Pa and Ma Texas, who dress as cowboys, love guns, eat lots of ribs, and sing a musical number set to the Bonanza theme. The Hawaiian characters talk about how little they know about the alphabet and put up a tourism billboard that shows a 12-year-old Elijah Wood's ass. Graham Greene and Kathy Bates in brownface play Alaskins who live in Igloos, and push their older relatives in the ocean on blocks of ice. Most Amish people are named Ezikel, and they mock them for not having electricity. There is so much here involving Chinese, African, and French stereotypes that this seems like it was written by somebody who was demented.
This movie tries to dabble in the surreal while mixing sentimentality, but it always comes across as artificial. This is such an awkward, distilled, and entitled experience. Elijah Wood is fine, but pretty much everybody around him is phoning it in. I love Rob Reiner too much to rate this any lower. He gave us so many incredible movies, and 'North' is... definitely not one of them.
1
Landon
5.0★ · 04/21/26
Scarlett Johansson what are you doing here?
Scarlett Johansson what are you doing here?
reiaa
3.0★ · 03/28/26
okay y'all are too dramatic here. it is bad, it is a little racist here and there, the ending absolutely sucks but it's not half as bad as how you all moaned about it here 😭 it is a kids' movie in the 90s, get a grip guys.
SCARLETT'S FIRST EVER MOVIE ROLE SHE'S SO TINY AND CUTE!!!
SCARLETT'S FIRST EVER MOVIE ROLE SHE'S SO TINY AND CUTE!!!
okay y'all are too dramatic here. it is bad, it is a little racist here and there, the ending absolutely sucks but it's not half as bad as how you all moaned about it here 😭 it is a kids' movie in the 90s, get a grip guys.
SCARLETT'S FIRST EVER MOVIE ROLE SHE'S SO TINY AND CUTE!!!
SCARLETT'S FIRST EVER MOVIE ROLE SHE'S SO TINY AND CUTE!!!
PoochieVince
2.0★ · 01/23/26
Possibly the most stacked cast in the worst movie I've seen. When you are rooting for someone to shoot Elijah Wood as a child you've done something wrong.
Possibly the most stacked cast in the worst movie I've seen. When you are rooting for someone to shoot Elijah Wood as a child you've done something wrong.
Taryn Blanchard
5.0★ · 01/06/26
Why is this movie so disliked?
Why is this movie so disliked?