Project 52: 'Parental Guidance'
Posted Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 4:13 PM Central
Last updated Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 4:15 PM Central
by John Couture
Between my admission earlier concerning my lack of understanding of Fast & Furious and what is to follow, I have a feeling that I'm going to have to surrender my "man card." If there's been one constant in this Project 52 journey this year, it would be to expect the unexpected.
You would think that I would know my movie tastes better than anyone, but you would be mistaken. So far, I've been disappointed by films that I thought I would love for sure and then, there are others which sneak up out of no where and leave a positive impression.
This film is one of the latter ones. I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago and one of the things that they did at the place we were staying was to show a movie each night through their TV system. These were new to Blu-ray/DVD films and save for Silver Linings Playbook, I hadn't seen any of them.
Now, perhaps ending each day in paradise by watching a movie might sound like a waste to you, but I'm better that if you're reading this then you're more like me than you'd be willing to bet. It was like the cherry on the sundae for me and I'm happy to say that the curse was reversed and I actually saw some films that I really enjoyed.
Parental Guidance
I think it's pretty evident by now that I'm not your classic movie reviewer. Sure, I can tear apart the minutiae of every film or I could try and deliver some sort of deep message that the filmmaker never intended to make, but is too scared to set you straight. I could do all of that, but if I did, there's a pretty good chance that you'll be sleeping by the end of the piece.
No, I tend to keep things light and center mostly on overall enjoyment. The biggest question I ask myself after each film I watch is do I wish I could have those 90 minutes or so back.
With that in mind, I have to say that I have mostly positive things to say about Parental Guidance. Is it perfect? Of course not, there are plenty of contrived moments that feel as saccharine as anything I've seen, but the film ends and you don't seem to mind it so much.
You remember a few laughs and go to sleep with a smile on your face. I guess at the end of the day, that's all that one needs on vacation. I certainly wouldn't have sought out this film, nor would I have ever come across it again, but here I was a captive audience member enjoying the film.
I can see why this film was chosen to play at a resort that hosts a wide assortment of folks that vary in age, demographics, etc. Mainly, because Billy Crystal is safe and that means that, by extension, Parental Guidance is safe across a large cross-section of the potential audience.
I didn't have any qualms about watching it with my in-laws that I would have had if the film shown was, say, Django Unchained instead. All of the actors were known quantities and they seem to all enjoy universal acceptance.
As for the film itself, I think the subject matter hit pretty close to home as well which is why I enjoyed it as much as I did. You could say that Tom Everett Scott and Marisa Tomei were stand-ins for me and my wife (if only! - a fair expression by both of us) in that we have a child (soon to be plural) and we are both rather technologically advanced.
Both sets of our parents are certainly not as big of luddites as those portrayed by Crystal and Bette Midler, but there is a certain technological gap that I think most families feel. Naturally, this gap in technology will disappear as those who were born with email and cell phones get older, but there will always be generational differences that continue to resonate.
There really isn't anything ground breaking in this film, although I'm sure it's the first time anyone has ever captured a kid peeing into a half pipe. But, it's not supposed to be ground breaking and that's sort of the point. Whether it's cars vs. horses or planes vs. trains, there will always be this comical gap between generations.
Of course, the fact that we were vacationing in Hilton Head, South Carolina and a bit of the plot takes place there didn't hurt either.
The plot was pretty predictable, each of the three grandchildren were going through an issue and the grandparents were able to impart their wisdom despite being unable to text or surf the web. In the end, each child was able to progress and the grandparents learned something new as well. That old dogs, new tricks adage be damned!
I think the film's best moments come when Billy is dealing with the whole fish out of water scenes. There's a reason that he is sought after to host the Oscars year after year. The incident at the baseball field where he questions the worth of having a game without any outs (they all hit until they make contact with the ball) provides some of the film's best laughs.
As someone who grew up playing competitive sports my entire life, this is one area that hits home. I understand the ideology behind the sport for the fun of it, but at the end of the day, I side with Billy that ultimately that's doing a big disservice to our children. In particular, at the age of the kid in question, he should be able to handle the ups and downs of striking out.
Another funny bit dealt with the now taboo subject of corporal punishment. The absolute shock of the audience at the symphony when Billy cocks his hand back ready to smack one of his grandkid's backside echoes with society's changing views on discipline. I'm certainly not advocating hitting your kids, but I do think that parents need to establish appropriate disciplinary measures without being subject to peer ridicule.
In the end, Billy Crystal does what Billy Crystal does best these days and that's providing quality family entertainment. There's nothing new here or anything to be concerned about and that's the point.
It's like eating at a good, reliable restaurant. You know what you're going to get, but you're probably going to forget what you had for dinner by the time you wake up the next morning. But, it's much better than anything I've seen in a long time, so it gets a flush.
