Review of Parents (2007) by Belinda — 04 Sep 2009
Parents is the underrated horror film about a the quintessential 50's family, including dad (Randy Quaid whose terrific), mom (Mary Beth Hurt, also good), and son (Bryan Madorsky, a real standout. Damn shame he never made anymore movies) who move to a new town.
While the parents seemingly live the normal life, the son is a bit off as he rarely eats, constantly has nightmares, and lives in a state of somberness. It turns out, his parents may potentially be killer cannibals and sexually perverse in their little "hobby".
Playing more so on the dark comedy aspect, Parents is a terrific spin on 50's culture and family life. Quaid and Hurt do a terrific job of balancing their roles as loving parents and creepy strangers.
Hard to believe this came out of the 80's because by watching this film, all I could think about was how way ahead of its time it felt. Great direction from Bob Balaban, whose good behind the camera, but probably more well-known for being one of the more popular character actors out there.
The biggest kudos would have to go to writer Christopher Hawthorne for his unique and original script. It's a shame his status never elevated much after this. Overall, terrific and very underrated film.
This review of Parents (2007) was written by Belinda on 04 Sep 2009.
Parents has generally received positive reviews.
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