As the announcer for a minor league baseball team, Artie is from the old school. He doesn’t do any social media or use technology and that’s why his boss is letting him go. Artie’s dream is to be is an announcer for the San Francisco Giants but his wife Diane thinks this will be good for him and to just retire. But Artie can’t imagine not working and spending his days doing what older couples do like make visits to Costco.
They have a daughter named Alice and she’s married to Phil. They have kids three kids named Harper, Turner, and Barker who all have very different personalities. Harper is a perfectionist, Turner is shy and has a speech problem, and Barker is wild with his imaginary Kangaroo named Carl. They all live in a prototype smart-home that was designed by Phil’s company. The house is incredibly advance with automated appliances and it even has an artificial intelligence that manages the house. The house has been nominated for a product of the year award and Alice asks Artie and Diane to watch the kids only after they couldn’t get a ahold of Phil’s parents. This could be a recipe for disaster.
Director Andy Fickman is well seasoned in making the family comedy. He’s made movies such as You Again and She’s the Man and they all have the same feel as Parental Guidance. Fickman has joined Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse (both wrote the Screenply for Surf’s Up) to make this movie that shows you how much parenting has changed and how grandparents have to adjust to these changes. Who better to get then comedians Billy Crystal and Bette Midler to joke about how old the world can make you feel. Their co-stars are Marisa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott as the kid’s parents.
The transfer for the movie is average. It’s done in a 1080p AVC encode but the quality is very inconsistent. For the most part, the coloring is very vibrant with contrasting that is well balanced during most of the outdoor scenes. For example, the opening scene during the baseball game has perfectly hued greens that look gorgeous. However, the inconsistencies, however, are some very blatant over-saturation in skin tones that can change from scene to scene. At times, the coloring can also become washed out. Also, the edge enhancements make the picture softer but it’s only obvious in a few indoor shots. There aren’t any major flaws in the blacks or artifacts that I could see. Overall, the picture is clear and the majority of the details remain untouched.
The audio for Parental Guidance is mixed in DTS-HD Master Audio in 5.1 surround sound and it’s a decent mix. With the movie being a family comedy, there isn’t a whole lot of use in the rear channels or big sound effects. The majority of the time, the front three speakers are what do the most work. The only time that the rear speakers are utilized is when there is ambient noise, the rare movement across the channels, and during score overtures. The scene where the sound shines is during the concert where the score sounds amazing. Also, the dialogue is clear and never has any interference but the score.
-Audio Commentary: this is a commentary with Director Andy Fickman and Billy Crystal talking about their favorites moments in the film.
-Deleted Scenes: A large amount of deleted and extended scenes with an optional commentary by director Andy Fickman.
-Gag Reel: the gag reel is very different from any that I’ve ever seen. It’s almost 13 minutes long.
-FXM Productions Presents In Character with Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, and Marisa Tomei: this is bits of an interview about the 3 actors getting into character.
-Sneak Peek: previews of movies coming out in the coming months.
-Theatrical Trailer in HD
Edition Ratings
Rated PG
Disc Details
Video Resolution
1080p MPEG-4 AVC
Audio
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles
English SDH
Spanish
This is a family movie for all ages. The movie appeals to the grandparents and parents with the comedy of Crystal and Midler. It also appeals to the kids with the goofy comedy and that’s really a part of the charm. By the end, the movie has the ability to tug at a few heart strings with a very cute ending. The release itself is what I expected it to be for the genre. It has decent sound and a few issues with the video but overall, the issues are very minor. I would recommend renting or buying the movie for family movie night.
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