Parental Guidance opens in theaters December 25th – a great time for a fun film the whole family will get a laugh out of. I dare you to compare your own family… food allergies, house rules, pee-wee team sports vs good ol' fashioned fun discipline. Which side wins? Directed by Andy Fickman and starring Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott, and Bailee Madison…Â Even Tony Hawk makes an appearance that might surprise you in this film.
I went to see this movie with my hubby (our 9th anniversary to be more specific) and it turned out to be a great date night  choice. Usually we spend time talking about our kids and the family… this time we laughed about it. I asked my husband to jump in and share his thoughts on the show…
Dave Says…
I went into Parental Guidance not sure of what to expect. Â There are movies of this genre that seem as though they'll live up to the billing, but they ultimately let me down with jokes you can spot coming a mile away. Â I was pleasantly surprised with Parental Guidance and left the film happily entertained.
The story has the far-away “unfun” Artie (AKA Farty) and Diane visiting to take care of their grandchildren as the “helicopter parents” head out of town. Â While there, the grandparents discover the wide generational gap in parenting styles which leave them struggling to connect with the kids. Â Through a series of mistakes, misjudgments and “old school” parenting, Artie and Diane find themselves helping the kids overcome fears, pressures and self-imposed limitations of 21st-children.
Parental Guidance is a fun, light-hearted laugh for the entire family:
- Billy Crystal delivers in his familiar comedy style and his influence on the writing is felt without being overbearing.
- While there are the expected jokes, I found myself laughing out loud throughout the movie.
- I enjoyed the humorous look at how we, as a society, have taken to protecting our children from too much competition and comparison.
- As a middle aged parent, I laughed at how my parents raised us and how we try to do things “differently” to not be like them.
Jen's side notes:
I found myself laughing at familiar comments and moments I'm sure the writers borrowed from my own family. Watching the results of sugar high kids, public peeing and over protective parents on the big screen was entertainment I find myself still giggling at. How we talk to our kids and how our parents view it all is enough to beware that soda out your nose is a definite possibility while watching Parental Guidance. I warned ya…
More about Parental Guidance
Comedy legends Billy Crystal and Bette Midler play Artie and Diane Decker, who are called in by their daughter (Marisa Tomei) to help care for their three grandkids. When their old-school parenting methods collide with their daughter’s new-school ways, the once-orderly household spins out of control.
