Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Parents is an interesting, but flawed black comedy/horror flick. This takes place in suburban 1950's America and is a story of a disturbed young boy and his nightmares. Parents is a lot of things, psychological horror film, dark comedy and social satire. But as a whole, it doesn't always flow well. The film has a lot of surreal moments and does not always make sense. Parents is really inconsistent and choppy viewing as a whole and as a genre piece it is hard to put into one category, which is a good and a bad thing. It is good that it is a different offbeat movie, but the tone of the piece is all over the place. The story is really hard to follow and is very choppy as a whole. Parents has some things really going for it, great dialouge, creepy ambiance and an outstanding performance by Randy Quiad. The whole all American middle class family that are murderers and cannibals is very interesting, but better character development and story could have made this a whole lot better. Parents has more style than substance, but is still an interesting, but very quirky and weird film . This is recommended to those who revel to watch something offbeat or unusual, Parents would most likely please those audiences.

Ever wonder what the American Dream was really all about? You know, the Post-War Dream? I lived through it, and it wasn't all backyard barbecues and family vacations. This work of art stands as the perfect metaphor for those times which seem so long ago for many people alive today, but those of us 50 years or older know how things really were behind the smiles and friendly nods--not so peaceful, as the Beat, Civil Rights, and Hippie movements showed us. Movie about people eating other people? Sure, if you must. But what is actually on display is something far more sinister, and real. Life devoid of love and forgiveness does a real number on people. Now, all the theology set aside, if you love black humor, this is the film for you. Forget that stupid movie Pleasantville and dive right into this nasty little slice of Horror. You won't be sorry you did. I've seen it multiple times since its release in 1989, and I'm still watching it.

Fantastic film however, its not for everyone, if you are a fan of horror, creepiness and weirdness, and can appreciate art and have a very artistic point of view on films you will totally love this! Plus, the acting is fantastic, the father nails the part of being scarily creepy, and the kid also did wonderful. like I said it's not for everyone, you might really love love this or you might completely hate it. It completely depends, so do give it a try.

Michael Laemle (Bryan Madorsky) and his parents (Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt) move to Massachusetts where they quickly set up the perfect suburban life. His father, Nick, secures a well paying job at Toxico and his mother, Lily, is the consummate housewife who spends most of her time in the kitchen. From the outside, they're living the American dream but something sinister lurks behind their doors - Michael's parents. He's befriended by Sheila, his father's boss's daughter. He confides in her about his strict father but can never find the right words to voice his other fear about the source of the meat he avoids at every meal. He's equally as hesitant to open up to the school counselor (Sandy Dennis), a free-spirited social worker who's honed in on his perceptive yet odd nature. The stronger his curiosity grows, the worse his nightmares become. Where exactly is the mystery meat coming from? Although billed as a dark comedy, I failed to see any humor in the story. This is a bleak, deranged, horrific cannibalism tale but also a playful satire on the facades put on by human monsters, ones that could very well be tucking you in at night. Don't let the visual horror distract you from the underlying message of Parents. Randy Quaid aces his character with such perfection, you'll squirm with uneasiness every time he has a confrontation with Michael. Mary Beth Hurt is the polar opposite as the sweet, doting mother and she too nails it. Bryan Madorsky's performance as the intuitive and very aware Michael is thankfully subtle, as it should be. The set designs, the clothing and hair styles, and golden oldies like "Chantilly Lace" and "Purple People Eater" will have you believing you're in the 1950s with the characters. You'll either love or hate Angelo Badalamenti's orchestral score, as he has a distinctive eerie sound to his compositions. The gore and violence are minimal and the scares are more of the lingering kind, like the lump in your throat that gets bigger and bigger and when the time comes to scream, you can't. Every horror fan should see this. It bombed at the box office back in 1989 (budget of $3 million with a measly $870,532 in gross profits) but it's gained a cult following with many of its most recent reviewers rating Parents at the highest level. I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a masterpiece or brilliant horror but it's definitely one to watch. Parents, do not ever, ever, ever let your child see this movie unless you want your little one scarred for life.