Reel Review: Horror and Comedy Collide in Max’s The Parenting
Josh and Rohan are boyfriends who plan to introduce their parents to each other during a weekend away. Only after arriving do they start noticing odd incidents that the neighbor blames on the house being old. As the weekend unfolds, the couple’s bright future comes into question.
This cast is such a mixed bag of actors. Seeing Brandon Flynn have an absolute blast leaning into the comedy of this role, feature a hilarious scream, was so enjoyable. Parker Posey going from rich southern woman in White Lotus to eerie 80s teenager is a testament to her range. Lisa Kudrow and Edie Falco going head to head in a battle of the better mom was hilarious. Dean Norris played the panic and helpless man so well. The real delight and surprise was Brian Cox leaning into comedy and even a nude scene after seeing how serious he was in Succession.
The Parenting was a bit slow to start but leaned into the anxiety everyone has when introducing families to one another. Once the horror elements popped in, you could fall into the comedy and dynamics of each of the characters. This film is by no means a heart pumping thriller or horror. It leans far more heavily on the comedy with a few horror elements sprinkled throughout.
The release time of this film was a bit odd and out of place. A supernatural horror comedy in the middle of March was a surprise and almost came out of nowhere. A fall release would’ve been more fitting, but I think this movie would have been overlooked in that landscape. The story of this film has some really heartfelt moments, but the ending was just far too ridiculous to take even a little bit seriously.
The Parenting isn’t anything incredibly innovative, but it did provide the opportunity for a lot of dramatic actors to test their skills in the comedy genre which is reason enough to watch. Brandon Flynn and Brian Cox are such delightful surprises in these roles and show that they can do far more than just dramatic roles.
The Parenting is streaming on Max.
