Mom and Dad

My favourite 2017 midnight madness film.

Colourful characters, crazy plot, stylized violence.

Typical late night slasher flare. Nicholas cage is back to the wild crazed character type he played so well in "Raising Arizona".

I think actors like taking a break from heavy acting to do an occasionally zany role like this in the presence of a raucous midnight screening audience.

Thanks for coming Nick and Selma.

It was a lot of fun.

Nic Cage is always enjoyable to watch especially with his angry n constipated face aka Cage Rage. If u enjoyed the scene wher he is crying in pain in a jute sack aft getting a beating in Wicker Man then u will love the scene where he stumbles...

The plot is similar to The Signal (2007). Unknown virus/transmission turns parents into murdering their own kids. Myself cant stand harm shown towards kiddies n any kinda rape. So dont worry, the film takes it a bit easy on kiddie deaths but it has some genuine tension, over the top performance, solid dark humour n a cameo by Lance Henriksen n an attractive Selma Blair. The scenes in the hospital delivery room especially wher bunch of parents r waiting to kill their newborns is truly frightening.

The film is a fun concept turning the baseless mumblings of frustrated parents who want to "kill their kids" into a dark horror comedy thriller that brings that often off-the-cuff thought into a warped reality.

That concept, which no doubt all parents can associate with feeling, albeit without any true meaning or intent, blends itself with the ideas of zombie films. and films such as The Crazies, then adds a little bit of the high paced insanity that you will know about if you've seen Brian Taylor's previous work.

The main characters are well written and setup so that you start to have a dislike for some of the teenagers, and grow an affinity with the adults and the frustrations of their adult lives. It's acted well for the most part, and Nic Cage brings his usual own flavour of insanity to the proceedings.

It certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, as other reviews here show, and some people won't be able to get past the unrealistic nature, and the way it's portrayed, but ultimately, it's a fun film, with an interesting concept.

Unfortunately, despite the story, pace and events building up nicely, and keeping you involved, the film is flawed in its lack of explanation or reasoning for this sudden event of mass parent-vs-child violence, along with a rather disappointing lack of conclusion leaving an overall feeling of disappointment at what had the potential to be a good original film; something that is difficult to come by in this age of reboots, remakes and sequels.

Nicolas Cage, the legend that he is, smashes a pool table (that he just built) with a sledgehammer whilst excitedly singing the "Hokey Pokey", before shouting how his life has been a total ruin since he had kids. Just let that wondrous imagery sink into your mind for a little bit. Initially I thought this would be horrendously bad. Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed this...possibly too much. Mass hysteria arises within a suburban community, forcing parents to murder their own children. If you find it distasteful, don't watch it. Nobody is forcing you. It's a satirical horror comedy that is not to be taken seriously. For those of you that actually have a sense of humour, may I present to you one of the best modern horror comedies I've seen in quite some time. Parenting is a challenge, and I'm sure occasionally it builds up some anger through all the frustrations of adult life. This film illustrates the unleashing of that inner aggression, with an adequate balance of tension and humour. The final line of dialogue surmises the premise perfectly. "Kids, we love you...but sometimes we just want to...!". Smartly written and intelligently executed, with enough energy that it's as if it consumed a litre of isotonic fluid. Cage was absolutely perfect for this role. Guys, this could be the comeback we've been waiting for! Why was he so good? Initiate "Cage Rage". He. Went. Bonkers. Suggestively licking a can of drink. "Sawzall saws...all!". Eloquently discussing about anal beads and dildos. And even falling asleep whilst watching porn. Father of the year, indefinitely. Cage produces the humour, Blair provides the menace. Excellent combination! The editing is where it unfortunately takes a turn for the worse. Haphazard, disjointed and quite frankly all over the place. Several scenes of frantic action had too many quick cuts which made the experience slightly headache inducing. Also the abrupt ending may leave some underwhelmed (including myself), although the lack of explanation is much appreciated. Still, an incredibly entertaining flick.

I guess it's okay to label this as a black comedy, but there are very few laugh out loud comedy moments, the comedy comes more through the premise of the film. It also feels as if this movie is a major venting of frustration for modern parents who are stuck with the spoilt brats they gave birth to. Selma Blair gives a solid performance as a gorgeous mother who is starting to pass her prime and worried that her best days are behind her, she is not shallow enough to stoop to sleeping with the yoga teacher to make herself feel better about it. Nicolas Cage plays the aging father who tried his best for a while but has basically given up and withdrawn, looking for simple ways to reclaim some of his youth such as building a perfect snooker table. As something causes parents to lose their inhibitions and become like many wild animals who will occasionally kill their offspring, things get crazy in the schoolyard, the streets and in homes. The kids of our two leads do their best to survive the ordeal and this battle is the climax of the film. It's definitely a new and interesting idea, and while it doesn't fully tap Nic Cage's potential it definitely allows him a few great moments to go full 'Nic Cage'. Avoid it if you have a real problem with over the top violence against children, but if you have no issue with that then watch it on a day when your kids are being particularly bratty haha.