Pretty Great Film That's got one of greatest switches of tone mid way through (Spoilers)

Starts of as a dark comedic film about a former kid detective who's trying to relive past glories but who's pretty much a fuck up in his 30's. Teams up with young sweet innocent high school girl to help her solve the murder of her boyfriend. That mid way through turns into a dark dramatic thriller about the Kid Detective who's got addiction issues and is pretty much on a downward spiral who's case turns into one about pedophile rapist murderer who had kidnapped his young friend, fathers the young sweet innocent high girl and keeps the mother locked up in a shed a la Room.

Adam Brody as Abe, former Kid Detective is fantastic even though at the time Brody was probably a decade older then his character. I would have passed him off as someone in his 30's. He still embodies the character making him a bit of a jerk at the start but you start to feel for him as the movie goes on as you just see a damaged young man.

Sophie Nelisse (Book Thief and Yellowjackets fame) is really sweet as Caroline, she kind of fades away from the film in the third act but it's understandable as it deals with her character's dark background. Nelisse only 23 but she feels like she been around longer. I think you could have aged up her character a bit (turned her into a University student, Nelisse would have been 20 when she did this film) turned her into a love interest. But I don't think that would have suited this film.

Also special shout out to Sarah Sutherland (Daughter of Kiefer) as Abe's snarky secretary. Again she's not giving a ton to do but what she does she does great with. Peter MacNeill also deserves a ton of praise for his last scene in the film, which is probably best thing in the whole film as Abe's former principal, someone he clearly looked up too ends up been the Villain of the film. It's heartbreaking to see Abe just look so devasted at the reveal.

I think the swing from the first two acts to the third will be very jarring for some who watch the film for the first time. It does go from comedic to extremely dark thriller in a quick way but that's what I love about the Kid Detective. It's not a perfect ending for everyone poor Caroline has lost her innocence knowing she's a kid of rape and Abe ends up breaking down in the end. I can see why the film has probably got 7 on IMdB but for me it's a film more deserving of higher 7's. Excellent film.