Mom And Dad Review (2018)

A spate of seemingly random murders appear on the News.

No one can explain it. Is it a virus? Is it hysteria induced by terrorism?

Whatever it is, time to ensure you stay away from mom and dad, because they just might be out to kill you.

Director and writer: Brian Taylor. When I saw his name it probably made me a little biased. Best known for Crank (2006) and the new TV series Happy (2017) you know it's going to be a little controversial.

Genre: Thriller and horror, it's rated R for disturbing violence. Don't forget the black-comedy because that’s prominent too.

Release: Released during movie festivals in 2017 then USA January 2018 and UK March 2018.

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters, Lance Henriksen, Zackary Authur and Robert T. Cunningham

I'm going to be controversial here.
There's a term called 'the trenches' given to those with small kids. Combined with a partner either seldom around for work purposes or just ones who aren't participators things can be hard. Dreams by the wayside, conversation by the doorstep.

A friend told me 70% of relationships fail during the times when children are young.

I think this film taps into that. At first I found it hard to watch, the scene in the hospital unneccessary to portray the point. I think later at the school it was sufficiently covered to understading the voracity this virus has. Or was it a virus? It seemed to actually be contracted via the television snow screen.

I heard people talk about the flashbacks being annoying, I found them needed. They show the premise of the loss of freedom during what sometimes feels like an invasion of children. The parental mistakes we all make in our youth that transpire into parenting. I've never smashed a pool table in a fit of exasperation, but I get it.

The lack of explanation, savior and ending all pronounce those last words in the film as the topic and the theme.

I can easily see how the 30% that survive or enjoy 'the trenches' or those that simply don't ever feel frustrated with their lot in life wouldn't like this movie. It's not something any parent would ever admit, and even the one's that did relay the sentiment said they then waited for reprisal or judgement.
I appreciate the pacing to include the struggle, and the flashbacks to happier times or in some cases sadder times in the eyes of the kids.

I loved the minor inclusion of housewives and how what seems like a small amount of time for them with the comparison to how quickly kids grow up. It’s an ocean of time to work industries when there is an endless pool of young up-and-comers waiting to take your place.

The two once happily married love-birds finally get on the same wave length via the virus which enables them to get their message across with a simple look. It made the character's bounce off each other like they had always been a team and their relationship had never wavered. I hope to see them paired up again.

Nicholas Cage and Selma Blair always do ‘crazy‘ well. For some, it might seem preferable to have someone like Anne Hathaway turn crazy psycho. I still think these parts are best left to people who can really pull it off. It was rather refreshing to see Nicholas Cage back to his abhorrent best and besides, who else could pull off singing The Hokey Pokey in a horror movie without looking like a real tool.

Plus I love a good zombie spin, Mayhem is a favorite new viral take on the zombie theme but this shows some out-of-the-box thinking.

I give Mom and Dad, 4 gas filled basements out of 5.