Despite the
great divide between generations that parents, grandparents and children now
face – “Parental Guidance” demonstrates that families are always in high
fashion since then and now.
Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox |
Hollywood’s iconic comedy icons Billy Crystal and Bette Midler are caught
between the traditional and modern –of sugars and organic, of yes and no’s, of
gadgets and outdoors in helping take care of their three grandchildren while
their new-age multitasking daughter Alice played by Marisa Tomei leaves town
for a few days.
All three children have problems and none of them wants to behave for their
grandparents, which leads to all kinds of trouble and chaos. The three rather
eccentric kids make life as tough as possible for their grandparents.
Compounding the challenges for Artie (Crystal) and Diane (Midler), the house is
full of modern, futuristic gadgets and technical wizardry they can’t
understand. Everything in Alice (Tomei) and Phil’s (Scott) house is fully automated
and interactive, which makes life impossible for the technologically challenged
Artie.
Moreover,
Artie is mystified by each of the kids’ eccentricities. Harper (Bailee
Madison), 12, is intense, brainy, and an overachiever who’s so busy with her
burgeoning music career, she has no time to be a kid. She’s very tightly
wound – almost as much as her mother is. “Harper is uptight and always wants to
please her parents,” says Bailee. “She’s conflicted between the world of her
parents and grandparents.”
Youngest grandkid Barker (Kyle Harrison Breitkopf), 5, like many children, has
an imaginary friend, a kangaroo named Carl. “They say inventing an alter
ego is a side of genius,” explains Alice, but Artie sees Carl as yet another
reason he should dread his new assignment as babysitter.
Middle child Turner (Joshua Rush), 9, is a good kid saddled with a speech
impediment that makes him the target of the school bully. Additionally,
when Turner plays a little league baseball game, Artie is astonished by the
classic game’s strange new rules. After Turner seemingly strikes out an
opposing batter, Artie is filled with pride and overjoyed – until he learns
that the teams no longer keep score, and no one is ever out. “You mean,
there’s no agony of defeat; just the thrill of a tie!?” a disbelieving Artie
exclaims.
An entertaining film for every generation, “Parental Guidance” is unique in
that it portrays grandparents as active, funny and relevant. The film is true
to life, examining the friction that arises when family members don’t see eye
to eye. Riotously entertaining, “Parental Guidance” is full of mishaps,
misadventures and broad physical comedy.
“When people
leave the theater after watching the film, I hope they say, ‘I know those
people; in fact, that’s us,” Crystal says. “Parental Guidance” is going
to mean something different for grandparents, parents and children. And I
think if you’re doing that, you’re doing something good.”
“Parental Guidance” opens is released in theaters by 20th
Century Fox and distributed by Warner Bros.
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