Tags:
Film: The Parenting
Year: 2025
Director: Craig Johnson
Writer: Kent Sublette
Starring: Brandon Flynn, Nik Dodani and Brian Cox
Review:
This was a film that has been on my list of ones to check out for the year. Things kept popping up and it kept getting put on the backburner. Hearing Mr. Parka talking about this on his channel made me move it back up. I watched this as part of my end of year round up for 2025. What I knew coming in was that this was a comedy/horror film as well.
Synopsis: a couple rents a countryside house for a weekend with their parents and then discovers it is inhabited by a 400-year-old poltergeist.
This starts back in 1983. There is a mother, Donna (Kate Avallone). She is crying over the final episode of M*A*S*H* and she calls her son in, Jamie (Johnny Hawe). She burned their frozen pizza so she needs him to get another one. They’re needing to also go get the sister, Allie (Chloe Sciore). There is a dark entity in the house that attacks them though, pulling the mother and son into the basement. The wallpaper is peeling from the walls as it comes for Allie.
Things then shift into the present. There is a couple that is going to a remote house that they’re renting for the weekend. They are Josh (Brandon Flynn) and Rohan (Nik Dodani). With them is their dog, Katie. Rohan has a plan to propose over this weekend. It involves both sets of parents, meeting at this house and hoping that everything goes smoothly. There are things that Rohan is concerned with his parents judging Josh for, as they’ve never met him. I’ll also include, they’re renting from an odd woman, Brenda (Parker Posey).
Others start to arrive. First are Rohan’s parents, Frank (Brian Cox) and Sharon (Edie Falco). They adopted him. Frank is aloof, not necessarily sure how to connect with his son or his partner. Sharon is judgmental. Josh puts his foot in it, saying inappropriate things due to being nervous. Things get even more weird when Josh’s parents arrive. They are Liddy (Lisa Kudrow) and Cliff (Dean Norris).
Josh decides to eat a few weed gummies, to help relax. This proves to be an issue. It also doesn’t help that the Wi-Fi password isn’t working. When it is read aloud, there are weird noises. To make things even more complicated, Sara (Vivian Bang), who is friends with our couple. She accidentally texted Josh what Rohan was planning and tries to smooth things over by joining them. Sharon doesn’t like her, but her big personality works for Josh’s parents.
It takes a dark turn for this weekend when it starts snowing. It wasn’t supposed to, but there are supernatural forces at play. Frank keeps trying the Wi-Fi and he’s drawn to the basement. The next morning, he’s different. Sharon thinks he’s sick. We see there is something more to it when he attacks Josh. They need to figure out what is happening before it is too late, as they’re haunted by specters of past residents as well.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, finding it hilarious. The film effectively sets the tone with a past-set cold open. It follows a gay couple's comedic attempt to meet each other's parents while simultaneously having their issues come to light. The strong ensemble cast, including Cox, Falco, Kudrow, Norris, and Posey, is a highlight, and the construction of the film is largely successful.
Now that I have that set up, let’s delve into the basic premise. This is a classic comedy troupe. I like that we have the uptight Rohan who is worried that his parents won’t like Josh, going as far to tell him to lie about not getting fired. This makes Josh pause. There is more levity here when Sara reveals what Rohan’s plan is. There is friction where Josh wants them to just be themselves, but the pressure to impress Rohan’s parents takes precedence. That stress causes Josh to trip over his words, but it also builds. Flynn and Dodani are overshadowed while still working in the framework.
Let’s then look at the parents. Each has distinct personalities that don’t mesh well. Sharon has high standards. Frank doesn’t but he also seems to avoid conflict with his wife. Liddy is quirky, which is great to have Kudrow take on that role. Cliff is aloof while having moments where he shows his support of his wife. Cox is given the most to work with here. He is good with the comedy, giving us a baseline before he is possessed. Falco is also great and I love her character arc. I’ve already given Kudrow credit and Norris is also solid for what was needed.
Let’s then look at the horror aspects of the story. This is where Posey factors in as Brenda. There is an interesting backstory there that I appreciate. She plays quirky so well. It makes sense in the end. I like that Josh and Rohan don’t think too much into what she’s doing which allows it to happen around them. There are interesting reveals to what is haunting this house. How it affects our characters is good, tying in the past with the present. It isn’t doing anything too different; we’ve seen this premise to play out. I’ll get into what sets this apart shortly.
There is more under the surface that I appreciate. The first thing to bring up would be generational trauma and legacy. This demon that is haunting this place brings out the worst version of the parents, having Frank say horrible, bigoted rhetoric. It is interesting because this is the fear of our younger couple who hopes their significant other will be liked by their parents. That anxiety of approval, especially with Rohan trying to control the weekend where it spirals into chaos. On the other side, we also have the parents being terrified of failing their children.
One last thing would be that I love that the central couple being gay is more of just a plot device. We don’t have the parents scolding or trying to correct that portion. It is more with the parents having specific issues, like Josh’s pursuit of a music career while he is currently unemployed. There are both sides to impress each other while stumbling over things and a supernatural entity creating a rift, without it being centered necessarily on sexual orientation, outside of just being hurtful. I did appreciate that.
That should be enough for the story elements, so let’s shift over to the acting performances. Flynn's free-spirited nature is fitting for his parents, and his efforts to impress, though played for comedy when he trips, contribute to his character's growth when things get tense. Dodani, conversely, is uptight and needs to relax. He works well in this role. Cox shines with the most material, and Flaco is similar in a different way. Kudrow, Norris, Bang, Posey, and the rest of the cast provided the necessary support.
All that is left then would be filmmaking. The remote, large house setting, amplified by a snow-in, effectively builds tension for this unique haunted house film, whose title cleverly references The Haunting. The cinematography heightens suspense by showing things the characters miss. The film blends comedy and horror, improving as the story progresses. The well-executed combination of practical and CGI effects, along with fitting musical choices, establishes the atmosphere and adds levity.
In conclusion, this is a successful blend of comedy and horror, anchored by a strong ensemble cast delivering hilarious and tense performances. The film cleverly uses the traditional "meet the parents" trope and a haunted house premise to explore deeper themes of generational anxiety and the pressure for familial approval, all while maintaining a quick pace and effective atmosphere. While the concept isn't entirely new, the execution—particularly the character dynamics and the seamless integration of supernatural elements—sets it apart, making this 2025 release a highly enjoyable and memorable entry into the horror-comedy genre.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10