Bad Parents (2012) User Reviews

This movie was a bit too much...

[paul_haakonsen · 4/10 · 18 August 2013]

For a comedy, then "Bad Parents" was disturbing devoid of laughs and funny moments. As for the drama, well, this movie is sort of the kind of movie that will cause you to get worked up over the characters in the movie, as they really infuriate the audience with their arrogance, their lack of interest for the kids game, and how it becomes a matter of prestige for the parents to have their kids in the game.

The story is about a small town who puts together a girls soccer team. The coach, which is an arrogant schmuck - to say the least - decides to put the girls into two groups; an A group for the obviously talented players and B group for the less talented group. This has the soccer mom's worked up and struggling to get their girls into the A group. The pressure becomes more and more intense as the girls progress to the semi finals.

I will say that the concept idea for this storyline may have worked well on script paper, but it didn't translate well into physically being on the screen. Or perhaps it was just the directing of the movie that was questionable.

The characters in the movie well nicely enough fleshed out and detailed, though most of them come off a snobs, arrogant individuals and people who don't have any consideration about the well-being and fun of their children in the soccer games, and as people who just want to have a prestigious place on the A team. As such, then you really hate and loathe most of the characters in the movie, and they will ignite a spark of anger and resentment in the audience.

Somewhere along the line, the comedy dropped out of this movie entirely, and there were no laughs at all to be found anywhere.

It should be said that they do have some good actors and actresses on the cast list to portray these annoying characters and roles. I decided to watch the movie solely because of Janeane Garofalo, but must admit that this movie was not among her better movies.

Now, I am not overly familiar with soccer moms and the world that they exist in, but I am sure that this movie took all that and put it to the extreme, because the movie was really over the top.

Don't be fooled by the casting...

[dbnsjsmom · 3/10 · 26 February 2014]

I'm giving this three stars because of a few decent chuckles (and because I'm too darn polite), but "Bad Parents" is sooooooooooo sloooooow. Even with so many decent comedians cast, nobody shines. I considered writing spoilers for this movie, but it was so draggy that I couldn't consistently pay attention enough to write anything worthwhile. Believe me, I wanted so badly to like this. A quarter of the way through, when it hadn't really picked up, I stuck with it against my better judgment (and an almost involuntary urge to sue Netflix for suggesting this movie.) I recently watched "Dealin' with Idiots", which has a loosely similar premise (crazy kids' sports parents), but was much funnier. I don't know, I guess I just fell for good casting, and maybe if I was that sort of parent in real life, I'd "get" this movie more. All-in-all, this movie just doesn't work.

A shiny participation trophy here

[rkderby · 3/10 · 30 April 2021]

Bad Parents takes a fine, if obvious premise that traveling youth soccer is a vicious jungle and tries hard to make a full movie out of the carnage. But too much emphasis on the repressed sexual needs of the moms, and a terribly misguided reaction to a state finals loss pushes this film over the edge from funny to pathetic.

As a rule it's only funny if it's funny. If you want to make is serious, that's in play, but then you should consider being realistic.

I was a soccer parent for several years. The truth in this film is strong in spots, but it got bent like Beckham in my opinion.

Please don't see this

[cathater15 · 1/10 · 23 October 2012]

Just saw this at the Austin Film Festival.

Plot lines are dropped. Narration goes nowhere. Much of the story stutters and starts and does not end. There are lots of plot holes and unexplained and unresolved issues with story lines, characterizations, and the writing was not strong enough to really make me care what happened, it just made me angry that it didn't finish.

The sound mixing and editing was unbearable. The lines recorded in post were so evident and that it was literally blaring in the middle of the character's conversation. Almost no attempt to incorporate them into the prerecorded dialogue.

Characters are not fleshed out and unlikable. No one has a redeeming quality. The casting was misdirected (why does the black/white biracial couple have a child darker than the black parent?). People are introduced into the movie and then never seen again.

There was a lot of potential. Disappointing.

Very weird

[geneosimeone · 1/10 · 7 January 2019]

The whole entire movie I was uncomfortable. I cringed the whole movie and was just disgusted.

This made me physically ill

[DarthLiss · 1/10 · 18 January 2019]

This movie made me physically ill. Stupidest thing I have ever seen. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes rates a 10 compared to this piece of refuse.

I will never get back the time I spent on this garbage

[tgmuzik-22670 · 1/10 · 12 May 2018]

This is horrible. Nothing funny, nothing but liberalism struggles with "everyone gets a trophy and all kids are equally good at everything and nobody loses" mentality. The acting was bad, the script was bad, even with some well known performers. It was sugar on the crap pile, but this film is absolutely garbage and not a bit entertaining. don't waste your time.

An A list cast ....

[cekadah · 4/10 · 22 April 2014]

.... in a B grade flick!

With names of the cast alone I was sure this would be a funny movie but it just doesn't come together. It has little to do with parenting and an awful lot to do with soccer and the parents ego.

In other words the soccer game was all. Maybe it should have been titled Bad Coach or Bad Soccer. The current title lead me to expect otherwise.

And the bit part by Ben Bailey ---- what was that for? What did I miss? Maybe my attention drifted but I thought for sure he would be back in the story later. Nope.

If you want a funny movie in the "Bad" series, Bad Teacher is fantastic!

Never get this time back....

[loriesfloyd · 2/10 · 28 April 2019]

Don't waste your time on this ridiculous movie. It's not even funny to make up for the terrible story. Acting is fine it's the story that is so stupid I can't believe I watched the whole thing.

Spot on youth soccer satire - phoned in effort and cheap production

[gdeangel · 5/10 · 23 April 2018]

Let's start out with the cards on the table -- don't see this movie if you aren't a soccer mom or dad. Don't see this movie if you are the parent of those 1% super human mini-athletes who run circles around their classmates... unless you've been through the sausage making machine called US youth soccer with them (or their less talented siblings). You won't relate to any of the satire, and you'll be so underwhelmed with the phoned in performances, low production value, and lack of any explanation of the central character's various arcs. Put simply, it's a sketch comedy based all around youth soccer. As a stand up routine, it would be gold. As a low budget film, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Now to the good. The themes:(1) US youth sports today are ridiculous enough to drive parents insane... nearly every parent can relate to that. (2) Youth soccer in particular has become a mangled mish-mosh of divergent priorities from the various stakeholders. Could not be truer. (3) That our society is obsessed with results, even from 7 year old "athletes" who would rather be out kicking a ball against a wall than listening to a coach give them a lecture. Hey, we've all been there... soccer, little league, gymnastics, even butter sculpting (more on that later).

Finally there are the particular skeletons of youth soccer laid bare: A team/B team politics. Excessive cost. Community elitism. Amateur youth coach "credentialing" and "career" making. And nepotism. You will eye roll at the mom who is ready to sleep with the coach to get her daughter playing time, but secretly thing of 3 moms who you know who you wouldn't put it past. You will shake your head when the moms gossip on the sideline about whose riding the bench or getting too much playing time, but you'll secretly call up similar late night conversations you've had with your best confidants. If you've ever coached, you'll be shouting "amen" when the internal debates about fun vs. winning as cooped by the cut-throat agenda character and the sane parent is boxed out. Buzzwords and jargon -- in 7 y.o. sports. Things that happen, but dialed up a few notches to drive hove the ridiculousness.

The ending however is a weak attempt at a comedic "twist", and frankly falls flat. The only characters with any arc -- the assistant coach, who fills the sycophantic role to be scorned by the audience, and the laundry mom -- pop in and out of focus in such isolated bursts that by the time they have "evolved", the audience doesn't really think much of it.

And one thing that's left out -- the violence. At one point, a parent yells from the sidelines: "Don't let her push you... push her back." Most of the flaws of soccer the film parodies are things that people do try to mitigate in the soccer world. Coaches do set up even teams, and try to set up even playing time, not to help kids psychies, but to ensure that the entire crop is tended long enough for the prize tomato to ripen. One thing that is understated, however, if the on field brutality of the game. If they had filmed realistic matches for this film, with the pushing and the elbowing and the steam rolling and the unsafe tackling... the child work standards board would have shut down the film. And it's that escalation of "aggressive play", something very foreign to most parents who grew up playing the game when it was the less violent alternative to American football, that makes this film incomplete. The more timid players become disenchanted with the game after getting mashed up by bigger, more aggressive kids far more than they do from riding the bench. Lots of girls I've coached actually like to sit on the sideline and goof around with their friends. Like waiting for your at-bat in the dugout with little league -- it's what makes the game fun for the kids who aren't hitting the home runs. However, I've seen at least one girl (we're talking about U8 - U10) in every season leave the field with a bad injury -- broken ankles, broken wrists, concussions, torn ligaments. The deficiency (and nepotency in hiring) of 14-year "older player" referees is completely missing from this film.

In fairness, most of these objects of scorn and ire are universal to "communicty" competition in the US. The best way to poke fun at them is to sever them from the sport, so that the nit's and nat's of the accuracy of portraying that sport don't ruin the film. Many films have tried to satirize girls youth soccer, from Rodney Dangerfield's prescient "The Ladybugs" in 1992, to 2005's "Kicking and Screaming" which was basically a Will Farrel comedic "loser" vehicle with some kids in it. Neither of them has been able to do the sport justice, nor does Bad Parents.

While I think this film is worth a few chuckles, for my money, it doesn't even come close to "Butter", which takes these elements of back-room board meetings, nepotency (and anti-nepotency), fullfillment by proxy, and lays them bare in the ridiculous sport of butter carving. That film achieves, without a bigger budget or more acting pedigree, to turn in a 100% satirical masterpiece.

Funny, Well Wriiten and Worth a Real Release

[mediapeertime · 8/10 · 17 July 2013]

A film festival gem that i think will make it to the big screen. The same woman wrote and directed this (Jentis), and she should strength as a fine filmmaker, with a film that is at a Hollywood studio level. Bad Parents is about a group of soccor moms and dads, who will do anything to see their young grade schoolers succeed in making the "A Team", which is coached by a complete jerk. Doesn't sound like a unique story, but the writing is so clever and funny, that this turns out to be a unique film. There are outstanding performances all the way around, from Janene Garafolo (the lead) to the Cheri Oteri (from Saturday Night Live) in a big supporting role as a wickedly insensitive mom who truly will do anything for a her daughter to be a team starter. The coach was great, as well. I totally recommend this one, for a good laugh and some thinking.

A classic dark comedy

[anntriolasmolinski · 6/10 · 10 March 2019]

A great cast and timely story, but very dark. If you aren't into dark comedy, ala Heathers, Fargo, don't watch this. However, if you are, it's totally worth it.

Really?

[shankerman01 · 1/10 · 22 September 2019]

Worst movie I think I have ever seen. The acting was horrible! I could have made a better movie...... oh and I don't know the first thing about making movies. Waste of time. This movie should be stricken from record. The film industry should find a way to erase it forever.

Satirical and humorous

[lindsaycivin · 4/10 · 20 May 2019]

This movie is so stupid it is funny. It's such an over exaggeration and idiotic movie that it almost is good. I don't think it was suppose to be good regardless the humor it has. Quite frankly I thought it was pretty funny and it only takes shallow thoughts to watch it

Dark and Edgy

[giantsavs · 9/10 · 30 March 2019]

I don't understand all the negative reviews, maybe those people thought Ladybugs was a great movie. This movie is a great dark comedy in the same vein as Very Bad People. A satirical exaggerated look into the ugly world of suburbanism. Great casting and great writing. The movie was witty and dark. Highly recommend it

STOP YELLING AT MY KID!

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 12 April 2019]

Kathy (Janeane Garofalo) moves into a new town where soccer and soccer politics is the norm. She goes from a normal mom to an obsessed soccer mom where all that matters is her eight year old's game, one that she is bored with and doesn't want to play. The team is coached by Nick (Christopher Titus), an overly repulsive man who makes sure his own daughter gets plenty of playing time.

The film is humorous with its mock MTM opening and had me laughing at certain scenes. The writing failed to capitalize on the situations, many times going stray of the plot and resorting to formula, with scenes being hit and miss. There were some scenes that were best left on the cutting room floor, such as the cyber sex scene that never tied back into the film.

On a side note, in real life Janeane is a devout atheist. In the film she is moved to pray to God for her girl's soccer.

The film had good characters and is worth a rental.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity.

Dark Comedy/ Social Commentary

[calebnason · 9/10 · 18 June 2019]

This movie hilariously captures the cringe worthy absurdity of how parents totally overshadow organized sports that are supposed to be meant to be for the children. The children and the sport they have to play, soccer, are just the backdrop to a commentary that plays out through the neurotic behavior of the parents. The story builds tension through humor that hits in very detailed ways down to the wardrobe. Even though it's not in your face, the humor doesn't pull any punches either. Though, I'm guessing it hits a little too close to home for a lot of people which is why I could see how so many people don't think it's funny. Which I would actually include a possible trigger warning if you had overbearing parents or played organized sports. If you take a more detached/objective view however, I think this movie has some pretty on the nose funny moments and a few eyebrow raisers that make it worth watching. The cast is excellent and they pull it off so well that it's almost disturbing. lol. For real.

Hilarious and true to life!!!

[nicholasgiardino · 10/10 · 19 July 2019]

If you're a prude this movie is not for you because god forbid any red blooded American housewife behaves like this. This movie takes the sacred world of "soccer mom and dad" and spoofs it using hyperbole. The men are soft, the women are hard, and the coach is well you'll see. I laughed and laughed, as well as compared it to my child's soccer experience.

Please, see it.

[mathewjfriedlander · 8/10 · 1 January 2016]

A bit shocked to see how mercilessly other reviewers ripped on this great movie. This is not a big budget blockbuster movie by any stretch of the imagination, and if you're too sophisticated for spoof humor, Bad Parents is probably not for you. However, it holds a definite appeal to certain circles. This movie is a spoof on yuppie urban soccer mom culture and most anyone familiar with that circus will appreciate the comedic value of this obscure gem. Great script, great characters, great cast, and hats off to Caytha Jentis as a clever humorist and a brave & crafty director. She takes some bold risks in implementing some original approaches in her direction, and often to good effect. In sum, Bad Parents A very noble low-budget effort that is worth a watch.

Brilliant Satire of Suburbia Hits (Too?) Close to Home!

[Atomic_Brain · 10/10 · 24 June 2021]

Bad Parents is one of those "take no prisoners" movies - either you find it grating, offensive, underwritten and mean-spirited, or you think it's one of the most brilliant satires on modern America you've ever seen. If you are in the latter camp, Bad Parents comes across as a rare and sublime satirical depiction of the competitive, vicious back-stabbing endemic to modern Suburbia, as spot-on and withering a portrayal as one is likely to see in one's lifetime.

The beauty of Bad Parents is its uncanny knack in depicting Suburbia as a snake pit of deception, rivalry and oneupsmanship, inhabited by stressed-out neurotics who threaten frequently to lapse into certifiable insanity. And this may be where the film has attracted its apparent army of detractors; the film unerringly shines a harsh light on indelible and familiar character types which one either is, or has known, in his own life. The combination of overdrawn yet authentic characters, with almost neo-realist set pieces depicting surreal scenes of life in soccer mom Hell, creates an amusing yet harrowing landscape of overachieving neurotics and their sacrificial lambs - the kids.

And here also is where Bad Parents may come across as judgmental to some: throughout the film, the little girls are forced to suffer their elders' neurotic quest for self-aggrandizement and ego fulfillment, and are truly the martyrs or victims of the whole thing. The villains of the piece, one and all, are the "Bad Parents." Parents hate to be told they might not be doing the best thing for their offspring, and are collectively and individually defensive to the point of violence on the point.

Bad Parents dares to skewer several sacred cows, the preeminent one being that cherished cultural construct known as Motherhood. The mothers in Bad Parents are the "mean girls in high school" all grown up and now become overbearing, mentally unstable parents, living out their insanity through their long-suffering children. Yet BP also takes righteous aim at Fatherhood, in its most noxious form - reducing all of human life to the base elements of sports and competition.

Bad Parents is essentially a character-driven dramedy, and here is where the casting is terrific, with several stand-outs amongst a cast of heavy hitters. Janeane Garafalo is perfect as the quintessential soccer mom, albeit one with the rare knack of critical thinking and a sense of conflicted self-awareness; her character, although compromised by the end, is nonetheless the most noble person in the whole motley crew. Christopher Titus Is fairly amazing as a driven - nay, obsessed - maniac who lives through others' children, a most sorry fate for any overachieving neurotic. Titus' character has moments of impulsive emotional shock which seem ready to veer into violent explosion, and there are references to an abusive childhood to partially explain this seriously broken man. Cheri Oteri is adorable as an overreaching, oversexed mom who seems to be pickled in the cheerleader role of her senior year in high school, and yet is one of the ultimately more nefarious of this unwieldy gang. Michael Boatman turns in a poignant turn as a young father trying to find himself in a brutally competitive community, who soon learns that subservience does not win favor with monsters - only courage and steely resolve will win the day. Kristin Johnston is amazing in a quite dark role, that of a disenfranchised wife whose withering comments to her meek husband are so frank as to be downright uncomfortable to the audience.

Whereas feel-good sitcoms like Suburgatory, The Middle and Modern Family might appear superficially similar to Bad Parents, in that they gently mock certain questionable aspects of modern American life, those sitcoms invariably end up with at least certain members of the community making peace, working together and resolving their differences to join in a last-minute celebration of neighborhood unity and harmony. Not so Bad Parents, wherein the community is splintered and contentious at the outset, and remains fragmented and at odds through the finale - just like in real life.

As for the sheer viciousness of the caretakers depicted here, let us just say that those who have worked in education can verify that the apparently over-the-top, largely lunatic behavior shown herein is exactly as it happens in real life. Repeat: Exactly. As such, Bad Parents may be vilified by some, for hitting too close to home. But others find in this glorious film a sobering truth one is not likely to find elsewhere: at root, we are all Bad Parents. PS: Bad Parents is also funny as Hell - if you are mature enough to laugh at yourself.