Bad Parents

Just saw this at the Austin Film Festival.

Plot lines are dropped. Narration goes nowhere. Much of the story stutters and starts and does not end. There are lots of plot holes and unexplained and unresolved issues with story lines, characterizations, and the writing was not strong enough to really make me care what happened, it just made me angry that it didn't finish.

The sound mixing and editing was unbearable. The lines recorded in post were so evident and that it was literally blaring in the middle of the character's conversation. Almost no attempt to incorporate them into the prerecorded dialogue.

Characters are not fleshed out and unlikable. No one has a redeeming quality. The casting was misdirected (why does the black/white biracial couple have a child darker than the black parent?). People are introduced into the movie and then never seen again.

There was a lot of potential. Disappointing.

I'm giving this three stars because of a few decent chuckles (and because I'm too darn polite), but "Bad Parents" is sooooooooooo sloooooow. Even with so many decent comedians cast, nobody shines. I considered writing spoilers for this movie, but it was so draggy that I couldn't consistently pay attention enough to write anything worthwhile. Believe me, I wanted so badly to like this. A quarter of the way through, when it hadn't really picked up, I stuck with it against my better judgment (and an almost involuntary urge to sue Netflix for suggesting this movie.) I recently watched "Dealin' with Idiots", which has a loosely similar premise (crazy kids' sports parents), but was much funnier. I don't know, I guess I just fell for good casting, and maybe if I was that sort of parent in real life, I'd "get" this movie more. All-in-all, this movie just doesn't work.

Don't waste your time on this ridiculous movie. It's not even funny to make up for the terrible story. Acting is fine it's the story that is so stupid I can't believe I watched the whole thing.

The whole entire movie I was uncomfortable. I cringed the whole movie and was just disgusted.

.... in a B grade flick!

With names of the cast alone I was sure this would be a funny movie but it just doesn't come together. It has little to do with parenting and an awful lot to do with soccer and the parents ego.

In other words the soccer game was all. Maybe it should have been titled Bad Coach or Bad Soccer. The current title lead me to expect otherwise.

And the bit part by Ben Bailey ---- what was that for? What did I miss? Maybe my attention drifted but I thought for sure he would be back in the story later. Nope.

If you want a funny movie in the "Bad" series, Bad Teacher is fantastic!