The first trailer for the family comedy Parental Guidance has been released. The film stars Billy Crystal and Bette Midler as two grandparents who have a hard time finding middle ground with their three modernized grandchildren. The predictable one-liners and nut shots are prevalent in this trailer, but there also looks to be a bit of genuine heart to the film that’s kind of appealing. The story seems less about the shenanigans that occur when the grandparents babysit and more about the generational gap between their style of parenting and how their daughter raises her children. When thinking over the library of family films that we’ve all been dragged to during the holidays over the years, Parental Guidance could be worse.
Hit the jump to watch the trailer. Directed by Andy Fickman (You Again), the film also stars Marisa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott. Parental Guidance opens on Christmas Day.
Here’s the synopsis for Parental Guidance:
Old school grandfather Artie, who is accustomed to calling the shots, meets his match when he and his eager-to-please wife Diane agree to babysit their three grandkids when their type-A helicopter parents go away for work. But when 21st century problems collide with Artie and DianeÂ’s old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, itÂ’s learning to bend ”“ and not holding your ground ”“ that binds a family together.
Other sites weigh in:
Slash Film
On the surface, Parental Guidance seems pretty simple. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler star as grandparents who butt heads with their daughter (Marisa Tomei) on how to bring up her kids. The Christmas Day release is directed by Andy Fickman, who has made hit movies (The Game Plan, Race to Witch Mountain) but never good movies (consider She’s the Man, and You Again). Knowing all that, expectations are suitably curbed and the first trailer largely enforces the predictable, holiday cookie-cutter image you might have in your head.
But then the trailer says the film is about “New school vs. old school” ways of parenting and shows somes differences between tough love, Baby Boomer parenting and the softer coddling style of Generation X. Which got me thinking, maybe this movie has something to say? Maybe it’ll be good? Am I giving Parental Guidance way more credit than it deserves? Watch the trailer and decide for yourself.
MTV
Recently have you found yourself thinking, “You know, Billy Crystal hasn’t been in a movie in a really long time”? How about “Neither has Bette Midler. I love those two. They should do a movie together”?
Thankfully, the trailer for “Parental Guidance,” which stars the two comedy veterans debuted today over at Yahoo! Movies.
Official Synopsis:
Comedy legends Billy Crystal and Bette Midler play Artie and Diane Decker, who are called in by their daughter (Marisa Tomei) to help care for their three grandkids. When their old school methods of parenting collide with their grandchildren’s new school and hyper-scheduled way of life, the once-orderly household spins out of control, and Artie and Diane must employ some unexpected tactics, including a new parenting style for themselves, to help teach their grandkids how to actually act like kids.
“Parental Guidance” opens on December 25.
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Slash Film might have a different crowd… I loved “You Again” and I actually don’t mind “She’s the Man”!
I loved You Agsin,,,,the others I didn’t see….xx
“Not bad? She looks like a 12 year old widow.” Best line of the trailer. Sounds like a classic, almost as good as “I’ve been kidnapped by K-Mart” from Ruthless People. Great delivery, as expected.