Review of Parents (2007) by Logan M — 08 Feb 2014

'My parents are so weird! Who knows what they get up to when the kids aren't watching?' That's one of the themes of this bizarre blend of deeply disturbing horror, black comedy, and goofy satire from actor-director Bob Balaban, which parodies the 1950s cultural milieu with enough vinegar to make even David Lynch squirm uncomfortably.

Barely noticed by either critics or mainstream audiences on its initial release, Parents is all but forgotten today, which is a pity since, as far as I'm concerned, it's a marvelous film...until the disappointing ending which feels more like a conventional slasher film than a genre-bending existential rumination.

The music, set design, and cinematography are all superbly evocative of the period, while perfectly balancing a deep sense of menace. The performances of Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt as the titular characters, Bryan Madorsky as their troubled little boy, and the late Sandy Dennis as a concerned school counselor are excellent as well.

Watch it!