Review of Mum & Dad (2008) by Bryan G — 22 Jul 2009

Just about every year in the past couple of years there have been numerous films coming out that deal with people being abducted and being subjected to all sorts of forms of torture. At this point, the majority of these films are trying to outdo the ones before it by pushing the boundaries of violence and gore. So with that in mind, I wasn't expecting that much out of writer/director Steven Sheil's Mum & Dad.

Mum & Dad is hardly original, but it does end up being better than most abduction/torture films because it doesn't go too far and have long stretches where we have to sit through horrific torture sequences. Mum & Dad takes a different route, and uses more mind games with its story. Sure, Lena (Olga Fedori) is subjected to some brutal attacks, but most of her anguish in the film comes from the title characters trying to manipulate her into becoming their daughter.

Both Dido Miles and Perry Benson, who play Mum and Dad, were perfect selections for these two roles. Benson is mostly known for comedic roles in films and sitcoms, but he slips into the deplorable character of Dad very easily. And I didn't have a hard time believing him in the film, and certainly no difficulty despising him. Dido Miles was extremely creepy in her performance, which was more psychological than physical. I found the scenes where she was testing Lena's mind more frightening than the scenes where she was harming her physically.

While the movie isn't as annoying or as disgusting as similar films tend to be, Mum & Dad does get a little repetitive after awhile. And about midway, the movie hits a snag and drags on a bit for the second half of the film. While the ending of the film wasn't as satisfying as other horror films, I did at least admire the slightly more positive outcome the film had, especially in a genre that has a lot of downer endings lately.

Mum & Dad isn't going to knock your socks off, but it gets enough right to get the job done. And while it isn't wholly original, it makes some intriguing decisions that help the film out (like the absence of a soundtrack). I don't urge horror fans to go out and see this one, but it is one that I recommend giving a chance to if you stumble on it at the video store. Before I go, I owe a debt of gratitude to Sickman for bringing this one to my attention.