Parental Guidance Movie Review

Mike has been more busy than normal during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  Often that week is a lot less busy, no committee meetings and such.  This year he had two funerals added to the mix. You can't help but feel more compassion and empathy when someone has to deal with the death of a loved one on Christmas Day.

People always tell me how much comfort Mike delivers with his funeral sermons.  I've long told him that was something he's really good at. He seems to know the right things to say, or not say, in each situation. It takes a lot out of him, though. He'll probably shake his head when he reads this post but the truth is, he picks up the burdens of others and helps carry it for awhile. He lightens their load a bit, but it increases his load.  That is his job and he didn't complain, but I noticed.

After such a week, though, I think it is my duty to help lighten HIS load.  Sometimes he just needs to get out of his own head.  He needs to laugh. So.... we went to see Parental Guidance.

On our way home from a movie Mike and I often rate them.  This time, he asked me to rate the movie on the way there.  This seemed like a movie where there would be no big surprises.  I gave it a 3 I think (on a scale of 1-5), before I saw it.  After the movie, though, I had to up my vote to something over a 4.  Why? Did this movie have delightful surprises or a deeper hidden message than expected?  Nope, not really.

I think I gave this movie a high score because it "hit the spot".  You know, when you are craving a potato chip, a candy bar does not hit the spot. Well, I think we were craving light-hearted fun and this movie hit that spot.  Bette Midler and Billy Crystal seemed to be having fun filming this movie and that fun spirit leaked right off the screen and oozed onto us.  That was just what we needed!

So, yes, I am recommending this movie, but only if you are in the mood for such a thing. It isn't life-changing or deep but it will make you smile and on your way home, you will feel a little less burdened.  That was worth the cost of the ticket!