The Parenting Review: Simple, Spooky, and a Little Unhinged
Streaming Movie Review - Max - Horror/Comedy
Bringing a partner home to meet your family is always a little bit stressful. In The Parenting, now on Max, the families go to a neutral home only to discover that the stress is amplified by a demon that sows chaos and discord.
Rohan (Nik Dodani) and Josh (Brandon Flynn) are finally at the point in their relationship where it’s time for their families to meet. Unbeknownst to Josh, Rohan plans on using this meeting to propose. The first problem they encounter is that their parents are very different people. Rohan’s parents, Frank (Brian Cox) and Sharon (Edie Falco), are straight-laced and buttoned up. On the other end of the spectrum are Josh’s parents, Cliff (Dean Norris) and Liddy (Lisa Kudrow), who are far more laid-back and free-wheeling in their approach to everything.
The second issue they run into is that the house they have rented from owner Brenda (Parker Posey) is haunted by a 400-year-old poltergeist that needs a host to come into power. When Frank reads the wifi password aloud, he unwittingly becomes the vessel for this ancient evil. Now, all of these different personalities are going to have to join together to save each other from being destroyed both figuratively and literally.
Director Craig Johnson and writer Kent Sublette have something special in The Parenting. It is a simple idea, but at no point do they complicate it beyond what it is, allowing it to come together in something that is truly enjoyable.
The performances are so much fun. Dodani and Flynn are solid as a couple, but the parents make this movie work. Kudrow cursing and then immediately saying, “That’s not me!” is funny every time. And Cox allows himself to be genuinely unhinged in this in a way that is impossible not to enjoy. Honestly, if I had any complaint about this movie, it’s that it could have used even more of Cox going berserk.
While there are shades of Meet the Parents in this movie, The Parenting sets itself apart as a unique film. The demon aspect is fun without being overly scary or gory, allowing this to be enjoyed by people looking for a mild scare to accompany their laughs.
The themes in this film are a little on the nose, but the simplicity of the script allows them to work remarkably well. A family meeting is the perfect place to introduce a demon that thrives on dissension and friction. Since these situations are already rife with potential conflict, using a demon to illustrate that ends up being rather clever.
The Parenting bills itself as a horror comedy, and it is both. For many people, trying to blend families can be a bit of a horror comedy. Sometimes, the only way to get through the horror is to circle up so you’re better able to see the comedy inside. And maybe don’t read the wifi passwords aloud when logging into your next Airbnb.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on March 15, 2025.
Nice review. I started this film and couldn’t get into it. I was left a little bored. I liked the setup and premise. The trailer made it very appealing and all great actors. Just fell short in retaining my interest on a late Saturday night