X
- 1989
- R
- Vestron Pictures
- 1 h 21 m
- 1989
- R
- Vestron Pictures
- 1 h 21 m
Summary A young boy living in 1950s suburbia suspects his parents are cannibalistic murderers.
Directed By: Bob Balaban
Written By: Christopher Hawthorne
- 1989
- R
- Vestron Pictures
- 1 h 21 m
- 1989
- R
- Vestron Pictures
- 1 h 21 m
Parents
66
6.6
Where to Watch
Summary A young boy living in 1950s suburbia suspects his parents are cannibalistic murderers.
Directed By: Bob Balaban
Written By: Christopher Hawthorne
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
66
60% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
35% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
66
60% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
35% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
PARENTS defies all categories but one - it is a virtuoso display of
movie-making, a multi-textured and pyschologically intense work
unimaginable in any medium except film, a tale fantastic in style yet
deadly serious in its intent and absolutely horrifying in its
implications. [27 Jan 1989]
Even with its collapse, Parents is remarkably accomplished for a first outing. It's good enough to make you wish desperately that it had hung together.
If the film finally fails to shock or surprise, it's nevertheless both imaginatively shot and wittily scripted, and strikes a nice balance between gentle parody and a queasy unease associated with bona fide genre suspense. Superior performances by Quaid, Hurt and Madorsky.
It's a wickedly inventive blend of revisionist history and childhood dread. [17 March 1989, p.45]
PARENTS concentrates heavily on Michael's Freudian pathology; however, in its emphasis on psychological themes, the film loses sight of its story and becomes a confused collection of isolated vignettes. In adopting the boy's single-minded perspective, it prevents its characters from developing, so that Quaid hovers and glowers, Hurt giggles and flirts, and Madorsky lurks in dark recesses without variation from beginning to end.
The satire of the 50's is more bland than biting, dependent on authentically garish costumes and sets. And when the horror-film scenes begin to intrude on normal life (what is hanging from the cellar ceiling, anyway?) Mr. Balaban can't make the dark elements seem comic enough to mesh with the rest of this nightmarish joke.
Aggressively inane. [14 Apr 1989]
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 5 User Ratings
6.6
60% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
20% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 5 User Ratings
6.6
60% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
20% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Awards
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Fantafestival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Nomination
