Parental Guidance: Movie Review

Parental Guidance is a funny, often delightful, family movie about parenting. It has some content with scatological humor, however, so parents will want to be cautious. 

Alice and Phil suddenly need a babysitter to take care of their three children during their upcoming vacation together. Phil suggests they use Alice’s parents, Artie and Diane. Alice reluctantly agrees, as do her parents. 

Sure enough, Alice’s fears seem to be well founded. Her father, Artie, is preoccupied with just having lost his longtime job as a minor league baseball radio announcer. He’s also upset that some of the modern rules in his grandchildren’s lives don’t make sense to him. Artie’s not too fond of his daughter’s “helicopter” parent way of raising her children. 

Making matters worse, the 3-year-old grandson proves difficult to handle. Also, the older grandson and granddaughter have unique problems of their own. (For more story details, go to movieguide.org.)

Parental Guidance has lots of humor and lots of heart. It will make viewers laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler are very funny as the grandparents. They are a joy to watch. Also, Crystal delivers an impassioned plea for common-sense parenting in one scene that many parents will want to stand up and cheer. His speech also promotes the value of competition and achievement as the best ways to build self-esteem. 

NOTE from Dr. Ted Baehr, publisher of Movieguide Magazine. For more information from a Christian perspective, order the latest Movieguide Magazine by calling 1-800-899-6684(MOVI) or visit our website at www.movieguide.org.