Watch Parents

The dark comedy Parents is a film that grapples with some heavy themes while still managing to make its audience laugh. Set in the 1950s, the movie follows a young boy named Michael Laemle (Bryan Madorsky) as he becomes increasingly suspicious that his parents (Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt) are not what they seem. The first thing that stands out about Parents is its striking visual style. Director Bob Balaban uses a variety of techniques to create a retro look that feels simultaneously nostalgic and unsettling. The film is shot in rich, saturated colors, and the costumes and sets are carefully chosen to evoke a bygone era. Balaban also employs a number of clever camera tricks to heighten the film's sense of unease; for instance, he sometimes uses extreme close-ups to emphasize the grotesque textures of the food that Michael's parents serve him.

The film's plot can be difficult to summarize without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that it centers around Michael's growing suspicion that there is something very wrong with his seemingly perfect suburban family. As he becomes more and more obsessed with uncovering the secrets that his parents are hiding, he begins to experience increasingly disturbing visions and nightmares.

At its core, Parents is a film about the anxiety that comes with growing up and realizing that the world is not as simple and safe as we once thought. Michael is confronted with the grim realities of adulthood in a number of ways: he witnesses his parents engaging in bizarre and violent behavior, he becomes aware of the racism and conformity that pervade his community, and he begins to experience his own sexual awakening. These themes are all handled with a darkly comic touch that keeps the film from feeling too heavy-handed, though some viewers may still find the film's tone to be a bit jarring.

Ultimately, what makes Parents such an interesting and memorable film is its willingness to push boundaries and challenge the audience. The film is unafraid to tackle taboo subjects like cannibalism, incest, and child abuse, but it does so in a way that is both shocking and strangely poignant. Balaban's use of surreal imagery and dream sequences adds to the film's sense of unease, and the excellent cast (particularly Quaid and Hurt) bring a lot of depth to their roles.

In the end, Parents is a film that is not afraid to be weird, uncomfortable, or challenging, but it is also a film that rewards those who are willing to stick with it. It's a dark and wryly humorous exploration of childhood innocence and the dark underbelly of the American Dream, and it's definitely not for everyone. But for those who are looking for something a little bit different, Parents is a film that is worth seeking out.