We try, guys. We really try. Mrs. Dell and I have three kids. Two of them are (barely) adults, at least in the eyes of the law. You know how it is. They'll always be our babies. We did our best. Hopefully, they will all become prosperous and will take care of us in our old age without complaining about it.
If you wonder what I'm going on about, it's that parenting, or more specifically bad parenting, is this week's topic for Thursday Movie Picks hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. There are a lot of bad movie parents out there. That's why I chose it. Oh, I didn't tell you? I suggested this topic. Let's talk about some bad parents.
Flowers in the Attic
(1987)
Deserving of a visit from Social Services: Corrine (Mother) and Olivia (Grandmother).
Already dead, but still deserving: Christopher (Father).Lots of families are thrown into disarray when dad dies. 99.9% of them, I'm guessing, don't have as much trouble as this one. Mother moves herself and her four kids into the mansion of her own parents. Sounds good, right? You'd be wrong. Dead wrong. The kids, two of them teens, are locked together in one bedroom (with access to the attic), are barely fed, and have to deal with all sorts of abuse at the hands of their grandmother. Mom slowly stops going to visit them in the room and his herself being abused by her mother. As for the deceased dad, I won't spoil it, but he's the worst person of them all.
Precious
(2009)
Deserving of a visit from Social Services: Mary (mom)
In this movie, there actually is a visit from Social Services. While the abuse in my previous entry was varied, in Precious, it's straight-up ass-whupins with an extremely healthy serving of verbal assault. It's all doled out by Mary, a single mom who seems to nothing more than beat the ever-loving hell out of her daughter, Precious. Mo'Nique took home a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this role and every bit of it was deserved. The woman was simply terrifying. (My full review)
Killer Joe
(2012)
Deserving of a visit from Social Services: Ansel (dad), Charla (step-mom) and to a lesser degree, Adele (mom).
After losing the drugs he was supposed to sell, Chris needed his hidden away cash. He finds out that his mom knew where it was, took it, and used to fix her car. Between a rock and a hard place, Chris hatches a plan to kill mom to get the money from her life insurance policy. The kicker is that his teenage sister is the beneficiary. With me, so far? Okay, cool. Let's bring in the bad parenting, aside from mom, that is. Chris tells his dad about his plan, and along with his step-mom, they all go along with it. The REALLY bad parenting? When this group of idiots can't come up with enough cash to pay the hitman they've hired up front. No problem, he's taken a shine to the sister and offers to do the job if he can have her as a retainer. They agree. Please see this movie to see how crazy it can get. I promise you'll never look at fried chicken the same again. (My full review)
I've seen bits of Flowers in the Attic but I don't remember it at all. Precious and Killer Joe.... oh yeah.... those are bad parents. I thought of Precious in my thing but I ended up with something completely different as Mo'Nique was fucking scary in that film. Then there's Killer Joe, those were some bad parents. Those are kind of people who will sell you out for a buck. That scene with the fried chicken.... easily the most disturbing thing William Friedkin had done in a fucking long time with Matthew McConaughey at his scariest.
ReplyDeleteFriedkin and McConaughey were both at the top of their game with Killer Joe. If you see Flowers in the Attic make sure it's the original and not the crappy made-for-TV remake.
DeleteActually, it was the original. I knew there was a made-for-TV remake with Heather Graham but had no interest in seeing it.
DeleteDon't.
DeletePrecious is the only I've seen and man, it was hard to watch! Mo'Nique's Mary easily qualifies as worst mother ever.
ReplyDeleteSo hard to watch. Mary is definitely high on that list.
DeleteI have not seen any of these but want to see the firs 2 for sure even though I heard both are intense and depressing. I don’t know the 3rd but now I want to see it
ReplyDeleteFlowers has a real horror vibe to it, but it's also more fantastical so I don't think it's anywhere near as hard to watch as Precious which is much more grounded in reality and therefore more disturbing even though it's not horror. Hope that makes sense. That last one is directed by Exorcist director William Friedkin and it is full-on sleaze, but done very well.
DeleteAhh Killer Joe. The movie that changed fried chicken forever. I've seen all three of these and they are great picks. I can't believe I didn't think of Precious. She really is the worst mom.
ReplyDeleteAnd Flowers in the Attic. Yeesh to everyone involved.
That fried chicken scene is amazing for all the best and worst reasons at the same time.
DeleteFlowers in the Attic is so cheesy but a great fit. I've avoided Precious purposely having heard that it's a misery buffet and I hated Killer Joe so much but they all go with the theme excellently.
ReplyDeleteUnlike last week this was so much easier because of the plethora of choices.
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)-At the Korean War’s conclusion a group of American prisoners return home including Captain Marco (Frank Sinatra) and Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) who though thoroughly disliked by the men is hailed by them as a hero for vague reasons. Upon his arrival Raymond is met by his mother Eleanor Iselin (a mesmerizing Angela Lansbury) a political dragon and completely soulless monster who has internecine plans and has had Raymond brainwashed as an unknowing assassin to accomplish them. Marco senses something foul is afoot and tries to intervene before it’s too late.
The Anniversary (1968)-Though widowed a decade ago Mrs. Taggart (Bette Davis) insists on her three sons and their families commemorating the event at the family mansion where she proceeds to shred their self-worth by taunting them with secrets she has discovered and savagely holds over them to hold them in her thrall. Bette as the one eyed Mrs. Taggart (she has designer eyepatches in colors matching her outfits!) has a whale of a time raising hell and chewing scenery right and left.
Matilda (1996)-Adaptation of Roald Dahl story of Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson), a brilliant young girl plagued by her crude, coarse often vicious father (Danny DeVito) and mother (Rhea Perlman). On top of that Matilda is also tormented by Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), the evil principal of her school, a terrifyingly strict bully. When Matilda realizes she has telekinetic powers the tables turn and she begins to defend her friends from Trunchbull's wrath and fight back against her unkind parents.
Yes, Precious is very tough watch. Too bad you didn't like Killer Joe, but I can certainly understand why.
DeleteA big yes to The Manchurian Candidate. What an excellent choice. Haven't seen your other two picks. It's a bit odd I missed out on Matilda since I know my daughters have seen it. I guess I should watch it at some point.
I've somehow never even read Flowers in the Attic, but I've had the family secrets spoiled, so, I maybe don't need to?
ReplyDeleteKiller Joe is a KILLER flick, but it's based on a stage play, which I saw in college and HOLY SHIRTBALLS is it intense and squicky and uncomfortable to watch live.
Mo'Nique is so freaking great in Precious. I really wish she would be in more movies, she's a great comedienne AND dramatic actress.
I sneaked and read parts of Flowers in the Attic because my mom owned the whole series and was a big fan. The movie is well done.
DeleteI've heard about the Killer Joe play. The movie is tense as hell. Seeing that live must be unbearably disturbing.
Yes.
Killer Joe hurt me, but only in the best ways.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteThat is a great line!
DeleteThanks! They are dullards, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteKiller Joe is just beyond brilliant. Love that film so much even though it's truly one of the sickest films of the last few years
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%.
DeleteYou're killing me with Killer Joe - possibly the movie that hardest for me to watch, ever.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not for the faint of heart, that one.
DeleteFlowers in the Attic - For a second I forgot what the dad did, then I think I remembered. He is the reason the grandmother hate the grandchildren right?
ReplyDeleteYup.
Delete