The Forgotten Bruce Willis Comedy You Can Watch On Disney+ Right Now

Bruce Willis' career has been defined by action movies like the Die Hard franchise, The Fifth Element, and Sin City, but the actor is so much more than Hollywood's go-to action hero. Throughout his prolific career, Willis has proven that he's a gifted comedic actor, too, and if you need convincing, there's a forgotten comedy starring the Die Hard favorite streaming on Disney+ right now that proves just how good Willis is when he's aiming for laughs.

Back in 2000, Willis starred in Disney's The Kid, a charming film about a 40-year-old man named Russ who receives a visit from his 8-year-old self (played by Spencer Breslin). Russ' visit from his childhood self is prompted by the realization that his life is nothing like he had hoped it would be when he was younger. Rather than flying planes and owning a dog named Chester, he grows up to become a Los Angeles image consultant, a job that encourages him to nurture his worst instincts.

Additionally, he has no dog, no family, and a strained relationship with his father. The depressing nature of his future shocks little Russ, but it also forces the older version of the character to reexamine the childhood traumas that led to him becoming the man he is in the present. That sounds heavy — and make no mistake, The Kid can pack an emotional wallop when it wants to — but it also gives Willis plenty of opportunities to show off his killer comedic timing as he acts opposite Spencer.

The Kid was a box office hit in 2000, but critical reception was mixed. The movie's Rotten Tomatoes score is a dismal 49% with several critics calling the film overly sentimental. However, one reviewer who was a fan of The Kid and Willis' work in it was acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert.

In his review, Ebert praised Willis' performance in the film, and noted that he elevated the movie above standard kids' fare. "It's a sweet film, unexpectedly involving, and shows again that Willis, so easily identified with action movies, is gifted in the areas of comedy and pathos: This is a cornball plot, and he lends it credibility just by being in it," the critic wrote.

Ebert was quick to acknowledge that The Kid is by no means a perfect film, but he, like so many audience members at the time, found plenty to enjoy in the big-hearted, genuinely funny movie. Unlike other children's movies from the same era, The Kid hasn't exactly endured, but that's all the more reason to check it out on Disney+.

If you know Willis as an action star first and foremost, then you're in for a pleasant surprise with this little film. Acting opposite an equally game Breslin, the Die Hard actor perfectly nails the mixture of frustration and astonishment that would no doubt come along with encountering your younger self, and, as an added bonus, he sells the film's message that it's never too late to change your life without breaking a sweat.

For fans of Willis and early aughts comedies, The Kid really shouldn't be missed.