“Parental Guidance” is a comedy released in 2012, with a rotten tomato score of 18%. Now, I know you might be thinking that this movie may not be a worthwhile watch, but wait just a second and hear me out. “Parental Guidance” is a hidden gem made for adults but advertised for children’s entertainment.
The protagonist, Artie Decker, is a minor league baseball announcer who just got fired from his job for being too old and not keeping up with the times. Meanwhile, his daughter Alice, who is grown up and married with three kids, is faced with having to find someone to watch their kids while they go on a business trip/small vacation. She mainly avoids the possibility of having her parents take care of them, as she disapproves of their methods of raising kids.
Artie and his wife, Diane, take care of the grandkids so terribly that Alice refuses to go on the trip with her husband, who is then forced to go on the trip with Diane.
One of my favorite moments of this movie is when Artie’s taking care of his youngest grandson, Barker. Artie kept ignoring Barker’s need to use a restroom while trying to get a job interview with X-games and pro skater Tony Hawk, resulting in Barker peeing on the skating ramp, causing Tony to slip off his skateboard and fall.
With all of the corny comedy being great for the movie, it has a great aspect of family and love. But that’s too much sentimentality for a movie review. So, I’ll mention that my favorite song from the movie is “Mr. Doody”, a song that Artie sang to his grandson while trying to get him to poop in a public restroom as they’re in a hurry to go to an opera.
I give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars. And lights out, Alice.
