YMMV / Bébé's Kids

• Adaptation Displacement:
  • Most people don't remember the original comedy sketches Robin Harris did. The film actually opens with him performing his act.
  • A much more negative example would be the Super NES game based on the film; some who had never even heard of the film beforehand had learned of its existence thanks to various negative reviews of the game, such as The Nostalgia Critic's review.
• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • This film and its players presents the idea that attraction is something worth wading for, no matter how muddy the water, thick the moss or convoluted the goal, it also carries the message that children (while very cumbersome) are exempt from taking responsibility, bullet biting and crow eating aren't necessary as kids will be kids and when all else subsides, cheap ploys will do in a pinch. (Though considering Robin has baggage that the object of his attraction has to deal with as well, it's a two-way street.)
  • It could be possible that the security guards of Fun World that were hassling Kahil in their first appearance were doing so because he was black. Notice how he was only drinking from a fountain and then they started the hassling and made things worse by grabbing his hat and assuming Kahil is part of a gang despite his claims that he isn't in one. There's also a moment in which a group of non-black kids are shown harassing a popsicle vendor and they don't seem to get any reprimand. So it's possible that at least some of the antagonism from Fun World security is actually fueled by racism.
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment:
  • The musical number in the Tunnel of Love.
  • And the whole trial of the robots. What was up with that?
• Crosses the Line Twice: Most of Robin and Dorthea's "Yo Mama" jokes (which, of course, is the point).
  "Yo mama so old, she was there the first day of slavery!"
• Cult Classic: The film's look, tone and (unfortunately likely) intended audience didn't do the movie any favors in its theatrical run. On video, however, all of those things helped it eventually find an appreciative audience.
• Designated Hero: The kids and Robin Harris himself are some of the best examples. Robin is not a good parent at all and the kids do nothing but act rebellious and cause havoc (even property damage that they never have to pay for) but the viewer's supposed to like them! Similarly, the theme park security are Designated Villains for trying to stop them.
• Genius Bonus: In the trial scene, animatrons of Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon act as the defense attorney and prosecutor respectively. Both were lawyers before they entered politics.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • Doretha and Vivian look an awful lot like Bratty and Catty.
  • The movie's art director was named Doug Walker. A certain film critic with the same name wasn't a fan of it.
  • The video game's final boss theme repeatedly samples Malcolm X, more than a decade before Sonic Rush's did — in fact, they both use the exact same speech!
• Jerkass Woobie: The titular kids. They're cruel, unruly troublemakers, but not without reason.
• Memetic Mutation: "Bébé's Kids" or simply "Bébés" is a slang term in the black community for unruly children because of this movie and standup routine.
• Minority Show Ghetto: At least partially why the film wasn't a huge success but eventually developed a cult following. That's not to say that there aren't nonblack fans, but they are few and far between.
• The Problem with Licensed Games: Got an infamously bad SNES game, which Nintendo Power named back in the day as the worst available on the platform. A beat 'em up with damage sponge enemies on an incredibly tight time limit and no continues before you're sent right back, it's joyless to play. Oh, and in case you were wondering how it ends... And don't ask anyone who played this game about the haunted house level..
• Retroactive Recognition: Director Bruce W. Smith would go on to create the hugely popular and similarly revolutionary The Proud Family, the first animated sitcom to feature an all-black cast.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: The movie has good intentions with trying to make us sympathize with the Jerkass Woobie children that reflect some sad realities of black people growing up in poorer areas, but its messy storytelling and overly cartoonish, often bizarre moments at the park get in the way of the pathos, which causes many to overlook the deeper aspects of the film.
• What Do You Mean, It's Not for Kids?: The movie is rated PG-13, yet it's pretty kid friendly aside from a few mild swear words. Release it 10 years later, and it might pull off a PG rating.

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