Mom and Dad (2017) User Reviews (294)

Cage going ape crazy once more. And I loved it.

[peterp-450-298716 · 7/10 · 6 February 2018]

"I mean, I used to be Brent... and you used to be Kendall... and now we're just... Mom and Dad."

I'm sure some parents will experience it in their life. The moment you get a bit tired of your offspring. That you would love to put them on a rocket and shoot them to the moon, so that you get a little bit of time and space. Even though your love for your children is unconditional and sincere. This moment will only last a few seconds with normal parents before they look back at their kids lovingly and realize they can't live without them. Not here in "Mom and Dad". Here you'll see parents in a small American town, who suddenly turn into murderous psychopaths with only one goal. And that's killing their lovely children.

The cause of this parental hysteria is not entirely clear. Is it, like in "Cell", an electronic pulse that triggers their behavior? Or is it a mutated virus? Don't expect an explanation. In any case, it causes mothers to leave a little baby in the car which is parked on a railroad crossing. Or a big fat family man swinging around with a bloody baseball bat. And a bunch of fleeing students who are being tackled en masse by crazy parents. The movie isn't exactly horrifying or scary. Only the scene with the newborn baby gave me an uncomfortable feeling.

It feels like a typical zombie movie with parents walking around with a glassy look. The only difference is that they only have an eye for their own children and don't have the urge to chase every panicking teenager. "Mom and dad" is complete madness and highly entertaining. Nicolas Cage shines as the father who thinks he's a complete failure. His dreams didn't come true and his career isn't that what he had imagined. The same applies to his wife played by Selma Blair. A bitter-toned, exhausted mother who can't accept that her daughter doesn't show any affection anymore for her. She has been exchanged for weed smoking girlfriends and the omnipresent social media. Their frustrations become obvious during the pool table scene, where they pour their guts out.

It's been a long time ago since I've enjoyed total craziness which Cage can play as one of the best. In "Arsenal" he showed a crazy "Tony Clifton" type whose tirades were brilliantly played ans at the same time felt exaggerated. However, the disturbing hysteria and raging frenzy he shows here, exceeds this effortlessly. In a convincing way he shows that frightening look and pure anger. It's as if complete madness has taken over. I admit, It's also overly exaggerated. But that makes it humorous sometimes. The grandparents' moment was an ingenious idea and caused the story to take a different direction. Do you like a horror comedy with a slightly macabre atmosphere? Well, that means this movie is right up your alley.

Nic Cage in full on Nic Cage Rage mode!

[bizzywiththefizzy · 6/10 · 12 February 2018]

As soon as I saw the trailer for this, I knew I had to see it ASAP.

I adore Nicolas Cage - the screamier, mad eyed the better - and this filmdidn't disappoint. It's essentially Nic Cage infected with some kind of rage-virus (the origin is never revealed or explained), running around trying to slaughter his two kids. Just when things are at peak-crazy, Lance Henriksen (largely of beloved 80s/90s straight to video horror) rocks up and pushes it over the top.

I've seen reviews on here complaining about things such as 'how do they afford that house', 'the daughter is too old looking', etc. These reviewers were clearly not brought up on stupid, cheap, schlocky horror films you'd get on the bottom shelf of the cheap section of Blockbuster.

It's not supposed to make pristine, logical sense. It's cheap, demented fun, and should be enjoyed as such.

You don't see Selma Blair much these days, which is a shame, as she's pretty good here as a bored housewife turned psycho mother. Sadly, she's partnered with the King of Crazy, so she has trouble matching up to his boggle eyed, sing/shouting and whirlwind of destruction.

It's surprisingly light on gore (most kills are implied and off-screen, for example, the housekeeper's kid) and feels aimed at teens as much as adults (perhaps the point?) so it's more of a comedy than a horror.

The ending was a bit abrupt - it would have been nice to see some hint as to why it all happened - but it's also pretty cool that you're left to answer that question on your own.

I watched this right after rewatching 'You're Next' and they kind of paired up nicely - another great fun, bonkers, survival-in-a-family-home scenario (although 'You're Next' is up there with 'Get Out' in terms of awesome, while 'Mom and Dad' isn't one I see myself rewatching to death)

Tl,dr - lots of fun, pure undiluted Nic Cage at his Nic Cageiest.

Dark Black Comedy Horror

[nashw82 · 7/10 · 23 March 2021]

I guess it's okay to label this as a black comedy, but there are very few laugh out loud comedy moments, the comedy comes more through the premise of the film. It also feels as if this movie is a major venting of frustration for modern parents who are stuck with the spoilt brats they gave birth to. Selma Blair gives a solid performance as a gorgeous mother who is starting to pass her prime and worried that her best days are behind her, she is not shallow enough to stoop to sleeping with the yoga teacher to make herself feel better about it. Nicolas Cage plays the aging father who tried his best for a while but has basically given up and withdrawn, looking for simple ways to reclaim some of his youth such as building a perfect snooker table. As something causes parents to lose their inhibitions and become like many wild animals who will occasionally kill their offspring, things get crazy in the schoolyard, the streets and in homes. The kids of our two leads do their best to survive the ordeal and this battle is the climax of the film. It's definitely a new and interesting idea, and while it doesn't fully tap Nic Cage's potential it definitely allows him a few great moments to go full 'Nic Cage'. Avoid it if you have a real problem with over the top violence against children, but if you have no issue with that then watch it on a day when your kids are being particularly bratty haha.

I don't get it?

[swinson · 2/10 · 26 January 2018]

Great film, loved the action, love the actors (not a Cage fan), but why is it they can never come up with an ending so they just "cut it". My suggestion to all those people that think they are super film makers, creating a film is like writing a book, you have to catch your audience in the first paragraph and have a bloody ending. If you can't come up with an ending then don't do the movie.

Old age having a go at youth, with lots of blood

[michaeljtrubic · 7/10 · 21 September 2017]

My favourite 2017 midnight madness film.

Colourful characters, crazy plot, stylized violence.

Typical late night slasher flare. Nicholas cage is back to the wild crazed character type he played so well in "Raising Arizona".

I think actors like taking a break from heavy acting to do an occasionally zany role like this in the presence of a raucous midnight screening audience.

Thanks for coming Nick and Selma.

It was a lot of fun.

Interesting, but Ultimately Confusing.

[bhiargoplease · 4/10 · 11 February 2018]

When I first watched the trailer, I thought this would be a pretty brainless movie. Given the premise, I thought I'd enjoy a couple of violent shenanigans and feel content with simply that. Unfortunately, Mom and Dad fail to deliver any ending, which leaves even the most uncomplicated movie a confusing mess.

The strong start really leaves you excited for the rest of the movie, showcasing this strange parent uprising pretty damn well for the first few minutes of the movie. This ultimately falls short when the scope of this apocalypse is condensed into one single family.

Admittedly, that would have been a fine idea - but at the end of the movie, I felt like I wanted more. With such an original concept, you'd imagine that they'd have more scenes that portrayed this apocalypse outside the breadth of the single family. Unfortunately, they failed to deliver anything substantial.

Even when the setting was shifted to the one family, I felt more engaged pointing out the plot holes than I did actually enjoying the film. Even though this movie is supposed to be nothing more than a murderous blur, I didn't really feel invested with the movie as it went along.

In other words, it became predictable as it went along.

The only thing that gave me hope was the ending. I was really excited to see how they would wrap this one up. They even hinted at things throughout the plot, like the television static and the unusual ringing. But this was to no avail.

At the end of the movie, I felt disappointed. I came in wanting some mindless, original savagery. What I got was a somewhat intriguing killing spree affixed to an incredibly underwhelming plot, which left much more to be desired.

So enjoyable. Really underrated.

[gwest-58160 · 7/10 · 26 November 2018]

I really like this film.

Brian Taylor's style is a treat for the eyes. And the electronic music soundtrack throughout by Mr Bill is a perfect match for it. Performances are great, Nicolas Cage is on form.

Maybe people just don't understand it or they don't like the abrupt ending- I'm surprised to see such low scores for it. I think the ending works well.

If you like Crank, Nicolas Cage and electronic music then definitely check this one out!

High 7/10.

Worst ending of a movie, EVER

[tonycollums · 3/10 · 14 June 2022]

The movie had potential. It starts out like a typical family movie. Things start happening quickly and you're drawn into the violence and the madness. But what's causing the madness? What's up with the buzzing? We will never know.

Fun to see Nic Cage stumbling. Cage Rage is back with his over-the-top, grimacing, eye-bulging performance.

[Fella_shibby · 7/10 · 18 February 2018]

Nic Cage is always enjoyable to watch especially with his angry n constipated face aka Cage Rage. If u enjoyed the scene wher he is crying in pain in a jute sack aft getting a beating in Wicker Man then u will love the scene where he stumbles...

The plot is similar to The Signal (2007). Unknown virus/transmission turns parents into murdering their own kids. Myself cant stand harm shown towards kiddies n any kinda rape. So dont worry, the film takes it a bit easy on kiddie deaths but it has some genuine tension, over the top performance, solid dark humour n a cameo by Lance Henriksen n an attractive Selma Blair. The scenes in the hospital delivery room especially wher bunch of parents r waiting to kill their newborns is truly frightening.

Ummmmm

[mofobuss · 3/10 · 20 September 2018]

Great premise. Had it on my watch list and then was stoked to find it. The movie is going well when - it's over...NO DAMN ENDING!!!!

Intense

[sdvick · 8/10 · 17 February 2021]

I really liked the movie. It was very intense. I even laughed at parts, just because it was like OMG this is crazy. I don't understand the low ratings.

Soooo good!

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 24 January 2018]

This movie was strangely therapeutic for someone. If you hate your kids or don't understand your parents this movie is for you.

Nicolas Cage is at his best here as a dad going through a mid-life crisis just when some strange outbreak of savagery has every parent trying to kill there offspring like hamsters eating their young.

Selma Blair gives an equally excellent performance as a Mom trying to bond with a daughter she use to be close to before she became a teenager.

And Last but not least is Lance Henriksen as grandpa Vietnam vet, the cherry on top of this crazy sundae.

It's a bizarre horror-styled film that just keeps getting more berserk as the film goes on. The filmmakers must all have children, as it captures perfectly the frustration that comes with giving up your life for someone else and not fully realizing it until there is nothing to do to change it.

Love the style of the movie too. The music composed for the film is really excellent. Not to mention I love the way the camera moves around the actors.

Also loved how natural Mom and Dad made the killing of your spawns. Overall, this movie does it for me and I highly recommend.

Great idea but...

[naoura7 · 3/10 · 20 January 2018]

Spoilers ahead ***

Remember The Happening? Mass suicides on the east coast, nobody knows why...Here, same concept, different execution, you don't know why the parents are doing that and still don't know why at the end. Nic Cage is Nic Cage, as usual, playing the intense guy, Selma Blair is great, but neither her or Cage's performances are enough to save what could have been a great horror flick.

It seems to me that they started shooting the movie on a good day and finished it on a bad one.

Crazy Cage is the highlight of this otherwise forgettable event

[eddie_baggins · 5/10 · 15 July 2018]

It's not often you'd say this about a film that's central premise revolves around parents wanting to hunt down and violently murder their children, but Mom and Dad needed to be a little more crazy and unhinged to make its downright bonkers plot click.

Directed by one half of Crank directing duo, Brian Taylor, Mom and Dad is far from your typical movie going experience in many ways and serves up some juicy black comedy goodies in amongst its horror/thriller elements but it never takes its out there premise far enough as we are instead treated to a more generic "trapped in a house scenario" that is saved from tedium by a joyously unhinged Nicolas Cage performance that is a sure-fire new addition to the Nicolas Cage anti-terrorism alert system.

Teaming up with Selma Blair as his on-screen wife Kendall, Cage plays one time petrol-head turned more mild mannered white collar working Brent, whose pent up rage and resentment towards his life is fully unleashed when a virus/outbreak of unknown origins turns loving mother's and father's into murderous maniacs as our leading man goes full "Cage" in his performance.

With a psychotic glee in his eye and a wide spanning smile, Cage has a blast bringing Brent to life and while its far from what you'd call a "good" performance, there's an odd and satisfying feeling from getting to see Cage unleash such an unhinged creation and with that, some of the year's most memorable and off-kilter scenes, with a pool table dismantling and a run in with Lance Henriksen the highlights.

His clearly having a great time with the whole silly affair and perfectly encapsulates just what a film like Mom and Dad needs to take its insane premise to the next level.

If Mom and Dad had truly joined in with Cage to match his same amount of intensity and craziness, it might've become a genuine cult-classic but as it stands this idea and its inception feels rather half-baked and as the film wears on and thinner over a period of a brief 80 or so minutes, you can't help but feel Mom and Dad missed its chance to make its mark.

Final Say -

There's a fun to be had here, thanks largely to a Red-Bull infused Nicolas Cage taking matters into his own hands, but this seemingly blood filled black comedy never completely commits to its high-concept idea as we are instead treated to a rather generic and increasingly boring home set thriller in its latter half.

2 ½ coat-hangers out of 5

Not the perfect movie you're looking for,, but it's really nice, thrilling and somehow funny :D

[Aktham_Tashtush · 6/10 · 21 January 2018]

So when i saw the trailer, and Nicolas Cage in there i kinda had a bit of hesitation , because lately he had some really weird mediocre roles ,, but i think this is different ,, the idea of the movie is fresh and genuine and it build up to an easily followable plot.

The script is not as strong as ever , but it was as i said tight and organised and somewhat quick which leveled up the thrill ,, and not forgetting the sense of humor and the "kids we love you but sometimes we wanna kill you" it just gave the whole movie a new perspective.

The casting was good, Nicolas Cage was so engaging and tense, same for Selma Blair and the kids.

Final thought,, even though it's not the high-budget movie you're looking for, the movie was really nice, so it is definitely recommended.

Horrible

[davidmccoy-53873 · 1/10 · 14 April 2018]

Literally the worst movie I have ever seen. Horrible editing, storyline makes no sense, and the movie has no ending. I will never get that time back - I'm literally pissed that I watched it all.

Mom and Dad may be the only reason to justify divorces.

[TheMovieDiorama · 7/10 · 2 November 2018]

Nicolas Cage, the legend that he is, smashes a pool table (that he just built) with a sledgehammer whilst excitedly singing the "Hokey Pokey", before shouting how his life has been a total ruin since he had kids. Just let that wondrous imagery sink into your mind for a little bit. Initially I thought this would be horrendously bad. Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed this...possibly too much. Mass hysteria arises within a suburban community, forcing parents to murder their own children. If you find it distasteful, don't watch it. Nobody is forcing you. It's a satirical horror comedy that is not to be taken seriously. For those of you that actually have a sense of humour, may I present to you one of the best modern horror comedies I've seen in quite some time. Parenting is a challenge, and I'm sure occasionally it builds up some anger through all the frustrations of adult life. This film illustrates the unleashing of that inner aggression, with an adequate balance of tension and humour. The final line of dialogue surmises the premise perfectly. "Kids, we love you...but sometimes we just want to...!". Smartly written and intelligently executed, with enough energy that it's as if it consumed a litre of isotonic fluid. Cage was absolutely perfect for this role. Guys, this could be the comeback we've been waiting for! Why was he so good? Initiate "Cage Rage". He. Went. Bonkers. Suggestively licking a can of drink. "Sawzall saws...all!". Eloquently discussing about anal beads and dildos. And even falling asleep whilst watching porn. Father of the year, indefinitely. Cage produces the humour, Blair provides the menace. Excellent combination! The editing is where it unfortunately takes a turn for the worse. Haphazard, disjointed and quite frankly all over the place. Several scenes of frantic action had too many quick cuts which made the experience slightly headache inducing. Also the abrupt ending may leave some underwhelmed (including myself), although the lack of explanation is much appreciated. Still, an incredibly entertaining flick.

Nic Cages barks like a Dog

[TiredOldMan13 · 5/10 · 1 April 2018]

There's nothing out of the ordinary or really memorable about this movie. Typical low budget thriller with some comedy thrown in. The best thing about this movie is that is allows Nic Cage to go full crazy to the point where you can't tell he's acting sometimes. The dude runs around barking like a dog for a while and I'm pretty sure it wasn't in the script.

Most people who didn't enjoy this are overthinking it.

[sNate87 · 7/10 · 8 November 2019]

I see a lot of people getting upset that this movie "didn't have an ending". Yes, the movie does end with Nic Cage in mid-sentence, but I completely disagree with that. I'll get back to that though (which this does contain major spoilers, I advise not to read anymore of this review until you've watched the film).

I also see people upset that there's never any explanation given as to why everything is happening. That is true, but I don't think there needed to be one. This is the type of film where you're just kind of going along for the ride. As some other reviewers stated, it almost felt like a throwback to some exploitation films of the 70's or 80's, though shot in a more modern style.

While it is fairly lacking in gore, there are a handful of shocking scenes throughout. If you're squeamish about violence towards children, you may want to skip this one. Though the film never takes itself *TOO* seriously, so it never becomes over-the-top disturbing. There were quite a few times I got a good laugh.

Now, the ending. If you weren't paying attention, these parents were longing for their youth again. They had grown tired of their lives as adults. The scene after Nic Cage smashes the pool table is an important one to pay attention to, but there are also nods throughout the entire film which lead you to this theme. They are almost jealous of their children's youth.

So what makes the ending funny, is that the parents have now been captured and tied up. The kids are in the position of power and acting like parents. "We want to believe you, but...". The mom and dad get their wish in a darkly comedic fashion and are getting treated like teenagers. It ends with Nic Cage stuttering and trying to explain himself, much like a kid would be trying to talk himself out of the situation.

It makes sense, right? That's what I took from it because I never tried overthinking the plot. The ending was great!

The idea wasn't bad but the execution could be better.

[deloudelouvain · 5/10 · 2 March 2018]

I guess the idea of Mom and Dad isn't bad but the execution could have been much better. There were a lot of flaws, just little things that just didn't add up. It brings the movie down a bit. They're only minor details but they should pay attention to it when making a movie. It's those little things that make a movie better. Also some explanation on why everybody is behaving like that suddenly would have been appreciated. I have no kids, and I'm super glad I don't, I'm not really a kid lover, never been, never will. So I thought I would like this movie much more than I actually did. The acting is just about okay I guess. Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage as the parents could have been better in my humble opinion. But the movie is okay to watch once, it's not that you completely lose your time.

Nicolas Cage doing what he does best

[UniqueParticle · 9/10 · 20 June 2019]

Refreshing super bizarre original Brian Taylor directed experience! Selma Blair is great too. I love the soundtrack, the pandemic vibe of what the hell is happening and I love Nicolas Cage's black shirt that he wore in part of it. This is exactly what you'd want from a horror/thriller and I'm completely ok with loving it when others didn't.

Decent Black Comedy Horror

[eve_dolluk · 7/10 · 20 January 2018]

To be fair this is the best movie Cage has done in years but that's not really saying much now is it. Its trashy and silly but its very well done for what it is. Cage Hams it up with his wacko faces and obviously makes it easy looking like a crazed lunatic. Selma Blair is even creepier as you never know what she is going to do next.

Lance Henriksen ( Aliens ) makes an amazing cameo and you can't help but laugh out loud. There isn't loads of blood and guts and I was expecting more but a lot of it is left to the imagination which is a good thing.

Watch this film and take it with a pinch of salt, don't go expecting anything deep or meaningful as this is just pure tongue in cheek. Ill give it a 7/10, I was expecting way worse but I was pleasantly surprised at how well done it was.

Just remember this film next time you see Mom and Dad !!

intriguing premise stagnates

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 31 March 2018]

Carly Ryan is a regular self-obsessed, phone-obsessed, obsess-obsessed teenager in a seemingly idyllic suburb. Her younger brother is a brat. Her mother (Selma Blair) is troubled by the growing distance between them. There's something wrong with her dad (Nicolas Cage). Riley's her best friend and Damon's her boyfriend. Their school is evacuated for some reason and then the parents start attacking their children.

This starts with an intriguing horror premise. The mother trying to kill her newborn baby is a great scene. This could have gone in a great direction but once the mother comes home, it stagnates into a really simple killing movie. The only deserving twist is the arrival of the grandparents. A better construction would have Selma Blair saving kids as the B-story. Nicolas Cage is a great crazy doing his thing. The kids finally do away with Cage. After saving many lives, Selma Blair returns home and suddenly a switch is flipped. That would be a great twist ending. This squanders a great premise.

Planned Obsolescence

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 7 February 2018]

The film centers on one family with a son and daughter who are no angels. The classroom discussion is "Planned Obsolescence" which should tie into the main theme, but only does so in a sloppy and poorly conceived fashion. Something over the airwaves, it seems, cause parents to act on impulse and kill their own children. Most of the film consists of two kids trying to avoid being killed by mom and dad in a movie that combines "Impulse" and "The Purge" in a production that had tons of potential.

I liked how they did the build up scenes, but when things hit the fan, the writing went south.

Guide: F-word, nudity (Cacia Rose)

Better than expected

[parkerbcn · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

Just when you think that this is a movie that you can't take seriously (it's kind of a mix between a zombie film, "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Home Alone" and "The Happening") and that you just have to enjoy the most over the top side of Nicolas Cage and the fun of it all, it throws in some interesting social commentary and gets even better.