Parents (1989)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Bob Balaban

Writer:

Christopher Hawthorne (writer)

Release Date:

27 January 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

There's A New Name For Terror...

Plot:

A young boy living in 1950s suburbia begins to wonder where his parents get their meat from...

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Meat | Nightmare | Hypnosis | Upskirt

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Randy Quaid	...	Nick Laemle
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Lily Laemle
Sandy Dennis	...	Millie Dew
Bryan Madorsky	...	Michael Laemle
Juno Mills Cockell	...	Sheila Zellner (as Juno Mills-Cockell)
Kathryn Grody	...	Miss Baxter
Deborah Rush	...	Mrs. Gladys Zellner
Graham Jarvis	...	Mr. Zellner
Helen Carscallen	...	Grandmother
Warren Van Evera	...	Grandfather
Wayne Robson	...	Lab Attendant
Uriel Byfield	...	Little Boy
Mariah Balaban	...	Little Girl
Larry Palef	...	Announcer

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:16 | Canada:R | Canada:R (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #29224) | Australia:M | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Great American Films Limited Partnership

Trivia:

The film's appropriately bizarre title for its Germany release was 'Daddy ist ein Kannibale', or 'Daddy is a Cannibal!'

Movie Connections:

References Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)

Soundtrack:

CONTINENTAL CUISINE

Parenting, horror movie style!

This odd little cult gem works thanks to the light-weight style and fairly original plot premise. There's not a great deal of successful horror films that take place from a child's premise, but this one mostly works and that is thanks in part to a good, and more importantly; non-irritating, lead performance from child actor Bryan Madorsky, in his only ever film. The film works from the idea of a child looking at his parents' lives. For many kids, things such as 'mum and dad's room' will be off-limits, and Parents capitalises on that mystery with an overblown plot line, which seems to focus on what's being put out at meal times. We follow Michael Laemie; a rather odd young kid who lives with his mum and dad in suburbia. His only friend is the naughty Sheila Zellner, who seems to agree with his assessment of parents. Michael also suffers from vivid nightmares, and it's not long before his increasingly tentative relationship with his parents comes to the attention of his teacher and later the school social worker. Just what is it that mum is serving up for dinner?

Director Bob Balaban keeps things ticking over with a constant sense of unease, and by keeping the mystery interesting enough for the audience to want to find out what's going to happen. Parents features good performances from the central actors. Randy Quaid sticks out the most as the father, and looks suitably creepy in his glasses and yellow cardigan. Mary Beth Hurt is also good alongside Quaid, and the pair has some chemistry together. I've already mentioned Bryan Madorsky, and he acts well alongside Juno Mills Cockell. The soundtrack is also of note, and the poppy songs are good in that they create the right sort of tone for the movie. The main problem with the film is that despite all the tension that the director seems so keen on instilling throughout; the plot twist is predictable from the start. I was really hoping that there'd be more to it than it seemed, and the fact that there wasn't means the film becomes something of a disappointment. Still, Parents is an enjoyable viewing, and therefore well worth watching. I will say, however, that if you want a better take on a similar theme - see Brian Yuzna's 'Society'.