What happens when the instinct to protect your children gets inverted? A lot of kids die. That’s the simple, outlandish (and never fully explained) premise of Mom and Dad, a 2018 black comedy starring Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage. While there’s a commentary on suburbia buried somewhere in here, what’s more readily apparent and enjoyable is the over the top quality of the film. It’s a frenetic piece replete with shaky cam, screeching audio, blaring guitar, and Nicolas Cage doing what he does best. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun. I’d also be lying if I said that I felt like the movie fully lived up to its potential. The violence is curbed, the finale rushed, and the premise not fully explored. It’s a fun one, to be sure, but ultimately there’s a few too many missteps holding Mom and Dad back.
