Parents (1989)
Average Rating: 4.8/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 6
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1
liked it
Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 4,227
My Rating
Movie Info
In this bizarre and very black comedy set in 1950s suburbia, Michael Laemle (Bryan Madorsky) comes to suspect that his conventional parents (Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt) have a little secret which they have kept from him. Nothing too major - - just that they happen to be cannibals. It seems that Dad has been bringing home some extra meat from his place of work, a mortuary. As the lad grows ever more hysterical, he confesses his suspicions to the school psychologist (Sandy Dennis). She
Jan 1, 2000 Wide
May 25, 1999
Live Home Video
Watch It Now
Cast
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Randy Quaid
Nick Laemle -
Mary Beth Hurt
Lily Laemle -
Sandy Dennis
Millie Dew -
Bryan Madorsky
Michael Laemle -
Juno Mills-Cockell
Sheila Zellner -
Kathryn Grody
Miss Baxter -
Deborah Rush
Mrs. Zellner -
Graham Jarvis
Mr. Zellner -
Mariah Balaban
Little Girl -
Uriel Byfield
Little Boy -
Helen Carscallen
Grandmother -
Larry Palef
Announcer -
Wayne Robson
Lab Attendant -
Warren Van Evera
Grandfather -
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Parents Trailer & Photos
All Critics (17) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (6)
the movie is an intense comedy about psychological abuse that will repulse as many viewers as it pleases. The only reaction it will likely not instill is nonchalance.
Pretty clever thriller that's about half as smart as it thinks it is.
Audience Reviews for Parents
Super Reviewer
Its an odd one for sure, Randy Quaid is perfect as 'Dad' with that eerie joker-ish smile of his, Mary Beth Hurt accompanies Quaid well as 'Mum' to make a great kooky couple. The various scenes of eating dinner with close ups of the meat really does make you uncomfortable and your mind swings from judgement to judgement on wether little 'Michael Laemle's' parnets really are serving up human flesh for tea hehe.
Personally I could never really make up my mind if the whole thing was a dream or just a little boys crazy imagination, the film plays out quite surreal which keeps you guessing. Being set in the 50's really adds that kind of bizarre yet fun twist to it, almost impossible to think such things could happen in a perfect all American home in the happy 50's. The cute sitcom like soundtrack adds zing, makes the whole thing out to be almost silly, light hearted or even a kids film, truth be told the film gets darker and darker as it goes on yet your never really scared, more intrigued and curious.
A real cult oddity which works due to the brilliant performances of all the cast members.
Super Reviewer
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Foreign Titles
- Parents (1989) (DE)
- Parents (1989) (UK)


Parents isn't an awful movie by any stretch. It's actually a pretty well made movie if I look at it from just that standpoint. If I look at it from the entertainment and enjoyment aspects of it, it didn't quite hold up. I didn't hate it, but it certainly didn't win me over in the end. It had a fairly interesting concept that kept the film going, but the way the events unfold is obvious, and the end result is less than satisfying. I can say that it was a good try because this could have been terrible, but it wasn't.
Parents centers around a family living in the suburbs during the 1950's. The story is presented in the way Fido would be. It's a dark comedy, horror movie mix. There's a ten year old boy at the center of the film who is starting to question his parents. There's obviously something off with them and he begins to get bigger and bigger evidence to this effect. He also won't eat his meat, which disappoints his parents because they are huge meat lovers. I was constantly waiting for a Pink Floyd reference about eating your meat, but unfortunately none came.
I will say that the direction by Bob Balaban makes this movie more watchable then I thought it could be. He does a good job balancing the social satire with the creepiness. Also the cast is rather interesting as well. Randy Quaid gives the best performance I've ever seen from him, and I also really enjoyed Mary Beth Hurt's performance as the loving mother as well.
In the end though, all this movie does is present its story in an interesting way. By the end, I was less then enamored with it. Sure it has some good stuff going on, but films like these need a little more to push them over the top and that little bit more was missing here. Plus when you label yourself as a Dark Comedy, then you have to deliver some laughs, and Parents just doesn't. The darkness was certainly there, but the comedy was no where to be seen. It also is labeled as a horror film. Well, it wasn't scary either. So it failed in both respects. Still I can't say not to watch the movie, because I didn't hate it all and I could see people easily being able to enjoy this one.