Artie and Diane Decker are old-school grandparents who rarely get to see their grandkids until their daughter Alice, desperate for a babysitter so she can attend an award function with husband Phil, call them to help out. Perfect timing. Artie was just let go from his dream job of announcing minor league baseball for not being up with the times, like what's his favorite angry bird, and just wants to get another announcing job to feel useful again. These kids need a lot more than babysitting. Harper is a tween/mini-adult over-practicing her violin and harboring a crush on a boy. Turner has stuttering and bullying issues but goes to a speech class that seems to teach you not to speak but to be Marcel Marceau (I'm sure having a last name as a first name, like the other kids, doesn't help, either). And Barker, the ginger terror of the three, calls Artie "Artie Fartie" and lets his imaginary friend, an invisible kangaroo named Carl, boss him around, like peeing anywhere except in a toilet (how this kid doesn't get punished more often is beyond me). Alice and Phil came from the school of time outs, letting them eat any breakfast or dinner they want as long as there's no sweets involved, and no kid loses at sports. Artie and Diane try to follow through these new-fangled rules of discipline, despite Alice being a helicopter parent over her parents and kids, but eventually the grandparents show Phil. and especially Alice that: 1) kids need to be kids but, 2) letting kids self-express their obnoxious behavior is not acceptable in public EVER, 3) all a stuttering kid really needs is a dose of self-esteem (and to imitate sports announcers), 4) that ice cream IN MODERATION will not kill kids, 5) that it's okay for kids to have a social life beyond practicing musical instruments, 6) that imaginary friends are highly overrated (sorry, but I was sooo thrilled that Carl was "killed"), and 7) "using your words" is just plain bullcrap.
Billy Crystal and Bette Midler work great together as Artie and Diane. They're the real draw of this film. You really emphasize with their situation. Makes you wonder how Alice got so uptight in the first place. My roommate and I went to a sneak peek of PARENTAL GUIDANCE back in December. This film is not one of those Oscar-worthy films that gets shoved into theaters at the end of the year, but if your looking for a family film to watch with the kids, this might be what you looking for.
Billy Crystal and Bette Midler work great together as Artie and Diane. They're the real draw of this film. You really emphasize with their situation. Makes you wonder how Alice got so uptight in the first place. My roommate and I went to a sneak peek of PARENTAL GUIDANCE back in December. This film is not one of those Oscar-worthy films that gets shoved into theaters at the end of the year, but if your looking for a family film to watch with the kids, this might be what you looking for.