Parental Guidance

**
UK Release Date: 26th December 2012

Artie and Diane agree to look after their three grandchildren when their parents need to leave town for work. Problems arise when the kids' 21st-century behaviour collides with Artie and Diane's old-school methods.

Director: Andy Fickman (She's the Man, The Game Plan)

Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei

It's been a while since Billy Crystal has graced our screens. He fits the childish and silly humour that befits Parental Guidance. Although the results are mediocre and soft, there's something for everyone. It's one of those films that contains gags the oldies like Crystal will understand but the young audience will not.

It's laborious to watch the pesky trio that Artie (Crystal) and Diane (Midler) have to look after. They're highly annoying from the moment they're introduced. They all have health issues because their parents suffocate them with 'over-parenting'. Marisa Tomei's fruitless role as the mum who's mistrustful of her parents is also aggravating. Surely the people you can trust the most to look after your kids are your own parents. Not in this case.

The script is developed around Billy Crystal's ancient cracks and Bette Midler's life lessons and obvious point-outs, with the moral (or morals) of the story slapped in our faces as if we're too senseless to see it without help.

Parental Guidance has all the ingredients that make up a good family film, but it's unfortunately delivered in a way that makes it barely watchable.