MOM AND DAD

Mom and Dad Movie Review

Parenting is tough...or so I'm told, as I don't have children and, God willing, never will. Sometimes kids, and especially teenagers, are so annoying and difficult, parents just want to kill them. In Mom and Dad, something gets into parents, making them actually kill their kids. Don't ask why this happens--the movie never quite explains it. The parents seem absolutely rabid at times, filled with a rage that cannot be contained--think 28 Days Later--but also are still very much able to communicate. The movie centers primarily around one family, with the legendary Nicholas Cage (Knowing) and Selma Blair (W Deltz Z) as the parents. Can this get any more insane? Oh yeah, plenty! For good measure, we get another legend, Lance Henriksen (Pumpkinhead) in a brief appearance as Cage's father, more blood and guts than you can shake a stick at, some dark humor, and, possibly most surprising, a very emotional speech from Cage that really cuts to the heart of what this roller coaster of madness is really all about--reaching middle age and wondering what you have done with your life. Few parents will admit it, but many wonder what could have happened with their life had they not had kids...or got locked into the mortgage, maybe even got married, and, worst of all...had they not had to grow old. Wow...I'm depressing myself here.

"At least you don't have kids!"

Like I said, the movie never really explains why the parents snap all at the same time, but I like to think it is a world-wide realization that sends them into a frenzy, and fuels the rage against what they, deep down, resent more than anything in life. If you don't want to dive too deeply into this movie, there is plenty to enjoy on the surface, and the ride, once it starts, is a wild one. The primary drawbacks of the movie are the directing and the editing. We have far too many extreme close ups of peoples faces for my liking, and the framing of many of the shots is questionable. The editing is also rough at times, as much of the action is cut so quickly it makes it impossible to really appreciate what is happening. Some of the acting leaves a lot to be desired as well, but Cage, Blair and, for the brief time we have him, Henriksen are all on their game. Cage is as over the top as we have seen him, and his delivery of his pain of growing old is actually really, really good. Blair's performance turns downright creepy near the end. Many viewers will complain about the ending, but I rather liked it. I wasn't expecting much out of Mom and Dad, but I am happy my girlfriend and I gave it a shot. It was a fun way to bring in the new decade!

On A Scale Of One To Ten: 7

Mom and Dad Movie Trailer