Parental Guidance 2012 (Movie Review)

Dir: Andy Fickman
Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Middler, Tom Everett Scott, Marisa Tomei, Bailee Madison, Joshua Rush and Kyle Breitkopf
Dur: 105 mins
Rating: 4.5/5
Comment: An excellent treat for the whole family. Parents and educators will find pertinent and practical issues addressed.

The title itself is attractive and thought-provoking. Parenting today is becoming increasingly difficult, with rules, either social or legal for just about everything, ranging from how to talk to the kids and correct them to the manner in which they ought to be raised. Against this background, the film raises important questions and attempts to depict the challenges of child-rearing.

Introducing you to Phil (Tom Everett Scott) and Alice (Marisa Tomei) Simmons’ family. A typical nuclear family consisting of a set of parents and 3 young kids. They have their share of troubles but seem to be living a happy and comfortable life, until Phil is awarded for an invention of his and is called away. He wants Alice to come along as it would serve as an opportunity for them to spend time together and to be away from the kids. Alice isn’t too happy to go along because then her parents would be called in to look after the children and she is cynical of their parenting skills. Nevertheless, her parents are called. Here onwards you get entertainment for your money’s worth.

Artie (Billy Crystal) and Dianne (Bette Middler) are a jolly couple with a lot of love between them. They’ve hardly seen their grandchildren let alone spend time with them. Seeking to build a relationship with their grandkids and to cast off the tag of “the other grandparents”, they embark on this adventure; and what an adventure it turns out to be. Struggling to handle the three very different kids and to keep up with the pace of their varied schedules, they bungle, tumble, face rejection but yet come out on top. Amidst the drama, they connect to their grandkids in a way that only they can. The process involved quite some embarrassment, tantrums and failures but the outcome was a joy beyond words.


The film is excellent and I would recommend it as a family entertainer. The actors have done brilliantly; portraying their characters realistically. The movie has emotional overtones and I watched the ending teary-eyed. Parenting is tough but it has its moments and those moments have the power to blot out all failures, rejection and negativity. Grandparents have an important role to play in a child’s growth and this film captures it well.    

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