Helicopter Mom

This film is so stupid.I mean where does one begin? The mother (though the actress was really good) was plagued by a terrible script that made her attachment to her son seem like a reverse Oedipus Complex. Besides that this movie is cringe inducing with it's "gay humor" that doesn't really come off as funny but more unintentionally homophobic. You see only two gay teens (who are side characters in a movie trying to sell itself as an LGBT genre movie I might add)who act like the most stereotypical cartoons of real people ever made. The were kinda like the gay teens in high school that all the other gay teens don't like because they are stupid and obnoxious.If you are a gay like me it feels like a black guy watching a ministerial show. How this ever got a premiere at Frameline I will never know.

Greetings again from the darkness. Just when it seems everything we say or do is offensive to someone and most every topic is considered politically incorrect, a movie shows up that seems to say it's OK to be offensive if you are trying to make a worthy point. It's kind of like someone defending their actions by saying "I'm not a racist – I have an African-American friend."

Helicopter parenting is defined as an overly involved parent who thinks they are best serving their kid by staying involved in every detail of life – from homework to activities to love life. As sad as this phenomenon is, this movie from director Salome Breziner and writer Duke Tran is so exaggerated, a more appropriate title would be Chainsaw Mom. Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) stars as the clueless and relentless single mom obsessed with her son … especially the uncertainties of his sexual orientation.

Ms. Vardalos seems to have patterned her approach to the role after some of the wide-eyed over-the-top characters of Keenan Thompson from SNL. This is beyond caricature and it's also beyond annoying. The character is not believable in any sense, and is fortunately offset by more grounded performances from Jason Dolley, who plays her unfortunate son, and Mark Boone Junior, who plays her ex-husband and his father.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking on a topic like teenage sexual ambiguity/confusion with a comedic approach; however, much of this comes off like a cheesy sitcom. The only thing missing is the laugh track … and maybe Vardalos hiding behind a potted plant while wearing Groucho glasses and mustache. I say maybe, because it's possible the latter occurred during one of the many segments where I was rolling my eyes or shaking my head in disbelief.

Fortunately, there were some genuine father and son moments between Dolley and Boone. In fact, Boone's performance is so good, it's like someone changed the channel every time his character appears. Dolley and Skyler Samuels (The Duff) also have some very sweet and believable scenes together. It's just a shame that a moment as poignant as the confused son asking his father "When did you know you were straight?" is offset by mom publicly humiliating her kid and herself in yet another unimaginable display of inappropriate and cartoonish behavior.

The supporting cast also includes Kate Flannery (TV's "The Office"), Gillian Vigman (The Hangover), and Dallas' own Hockaday girl Lisa Loeb – who has a role as a teacher, and wrote the song for the opening credits.

Confusion over sexual orientation in teenagers is certainly a topic worthy of film treatment, as is the cultural phenomenon of helicopter parenting. The slapstick comedy approach seems to overwhelm the first message, while the 1980's sitcom style destroys any commentary on the second. The only person who thinks a boy's best friend is his mother is Norman Bates. And Hitchcock showed us how that turns out.

Nearly everything about this movie looks like it was made by 2nd graders.

Starting with the obvious, the script is incoherent, unoriginal, unfunny and vacuous.

The person who directed this clearly was grasping at straws, and to allow the lead character to act so way over-the-top showed very little skill of the craft.

The acting by everyone (except the father) was a joke. It looked like bad dinner theater acting.

The sound was not good and uneven. Some parts of the film were inaudible and the dialogue lost. How do you let that happen (unless, of course you're a 2nd grader)?

I'm assuming this film was shot for 40-50k by film students in an attempt to raise money to try and make something bigger. However, I highly doubt this effort by those involved will lead to anything other than than an unemployment check or a job offer at Dunkin Donuts serving up flavors of the day.

THIS is what you call AMATEUR HOUR.

Hands down, one of the worst flicks ever. Nia Vardolos is a gifted writer and actress and I adored her in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." But someone steered her wrong in "Helicopter Mom."

Overview: Financially pressed single mom Maggie has some reason to wonder about her son's sexual identity. A sensitive type boy who hasn't had a relationship despite being pursued by girls at his school, especially pretty cheerleader Carrie, the boy finds himself attracted to both boys and girls. Maggie assumes he's gay and attempts to set him up with various males. She takes it upon herself to submit an application for him for a gay student college scholarship, forcing her son to play along with the deceit. From there it just keeps getting dumber.

This is worst than a bad sitcom. It's offensive, relies on poor stereotype jokes, and Nia is simply not her best in this. This flick is beyond idiotic!

Stupid movies come out all the time. There are bad films on gay related subjects. But this one had the imprimatur of the Points Foundation which is a group that gives scholarships to deserving LGBT youth. Very important because there are a lot of gay kids still subject to bullying which tends to stifle education. Believe me I know.

There could probably have been made a serious film on that issue, but the producers of Helicopter Mom opted for a truly bad, not only bad, but insulting comedy. In a plot borrowed somewhat from the 80s Soul Man, this overbearing Mom played by Nia Vardalos decides that her son Jason Dolley has to get a scholarship from somewhere to afford college in the East. So what to do, but out him with some of the usual results gay kids face. She even tries to find him dates.

In point of fact the kid is in the category of questioning. We all develop our sexuality at our own pace. A topic that also could have been handled better.

Here in my city I support the Embrace WNY group and it's annual brunch which among other things also provides scholarships for deserving LGBT youth. I think the talent there among those who sponsor and participate could come up with a better film.

They couldn't do much worse.