Parental Guidance

Parental Guidance

Rated PG and Released 12/25/12

Reviewed 1/3/13 at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary, Denny and Leigh

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

I love sports movies and while this is not really a sports movie per se there are some hints of it throughout that I really appreciated. This type of movie is made for Billy Crystal playing a "past his prime" sportscaster and that is how he is dubbed by the club that is firing him. We all thought it was really cute, enjoyable, and good for the whole family.

Crystal plays Artie, an old school grandfather, and Bette Midler is his contrary wife Diane. They are grandparents to three kids of their daughter Alice (Marisa Tomei) and son-in-law Phil (Tom Everett Scott). They are reluctantly invited to babysit while the parents are on a business trip. Alice and Paul are the typical helicopter parents doing all the "in" things. So let the parent/grandparent clash begin. There are very humorous exchanges with the grandkids after they finally get the little kidings to themselves. This leads up to disastrous efforts after Artie and Diane try and reinforce the delicate style of 21st century parenting, but they quickly resort to their old school ways. Midler was also well cast, although I could have done without the few songs she sang in the movie. Gary found these moments endearing and I found them irritating, but in the end it didn't really ruin anything. Needless to say, the parents come home to a near catastrophe and it is questionable if Artie and Diane will ever be the same, let alone the three kids. Even though a different time, I can't help but be reminded of when my parents were babysitting my young kids and the litany of well thought out instructions were clearly ignored. I guess everyone made it through just fine.

QUIET Rating system:

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJ