The horror-comedy has always been an interesting subgenre. Effectively working on a spectrum, with horror at one end and comedy at the other, it allows for so many unique approaches that lean more towards one genre or the other, or are planted squarely in the middle. It’s fair to say that the majority of horror-comedies lean closer to the comedy side of things, and that their ultimate goal is to be the cinematic equivalent of a carnival ghost train. The likes of Scary Movie made this the popular choice, while movies like Hatchet strike more of a balance between the elements. Spooky, yes, but more lightly entertaining, and never too serious.
The Parenting, which boasts an impressive cast including Brian Cox, Parker Posey, and Edie Falco, takes itself just seriously enough to maintain the impact of both the horror and the comedy, and while it doesn’t end up being the most original or breathtaking thing you ever saw, it makes for a fun ride with a lot of character and plenty of heart.
What Is ‘The Parenting’ About?

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Rohan (Nik Dodani) and Josh (Brandon Flynn) are a couple on the verge of the next step in life and their relationship. Rohan plans to propose to Josh over a weekend away, and they have rented a secluded mansion and invited their parents to join them at this special time. Unbeknownst to the young lovers, however, this mansion has a creepy history that they are stumbling right into the middle of, and what they hoped would be a fun and romantic weekend ends up being a frantic carousel ride of ghoulishness. An opening sequence shows the family who lived in the house in the ’80s being tormented and killed by some unseen menace, leaving the place desolate for decades until somebody sets it up as a vacation home.

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For some spooky fun!

The set-up is your basic Meet The Parents scenario — or, more aptly, Meet the Fockers — as it brings each person’s parents together for the first time, with one couple functioning as the “normal” ones, while the other, more carefree folks make the others look even more uptight by comparison. Josh’s parents, Cliff and Liddy, played perfectly by Dean Norris and Lisa Kudrow, are loving, quirky parents who inadvertently say inappropriate things but evidently love their son tremendously. Rohan’s parents, Sharon and Frank (Edie Falco and Brian Cox), are stiff-upper-lipped, middle-class retiree types, who you’d be forgiven for thinking were deliberately trying to be unlikable. It is clear from the start that this clash of personalities will be played for laughs, and the movie largely succeeds in doing so. Inserting herself squarely in the middle of all this is Rohan’s friend Sara (Vivian Bang), a loyal but brash figure who can always be counted on to make things more uncomfortable.
The homeowner, Brenda, played with wonderful kookiness by Parker Posey, is wonderfully weird from the moment we meet her, but she could be brushed off as the stereotypical “hippie” type. Sure, it’s weird she’s tracing circles around the house with sticks and such, but, whatever. It’s a stroke of genius on her part to make the Wi-Fi password a magical incantation that will summon a demon. Who’s going to go a whole weekend in the sticks without reading that? Sure enough, this sets off the haunting. A rhythmic banging in the house at night has the three couples speculating as to which of the others is getting lucky, but then Frank gets sick and possessed, causing panic and some very amusing startled outbursts from the characters. The earlier introduction of weed gummies and a gang of yappy little dogs promises plenty of chaotic laughs on top of it all.
‘The Parenting’ Offers a Fun, Ghost-Filled Ride While Maintaining a Note of Seriousness

For the most part, The Parenting holds its own very competently as a horror-comedy. It loses its way a little in the early third act, loosening its grip a bit too much on the humor and feeling like it’s pausing for breath after the solid hour of spooky fun it has delivered. While it certainly isn’t afraid to make such jokes, it wisely doesn’t put all its eggs in the “middle-aged parents saying rude words” basket and allows for the comedy to grow organically around the characters. It also avoids the Ben Stiller-isms of the Meet the Parents movies in which a character does stupid things under pressure that obviously make the situation so much worse. It’s mostly contained to the seven-person ensemble, and everybody delivers really fun performances that are never too wacky to be believable, and never too stern to be off-putting. Even Rohan’s cold mother gets her moments.

At the center of it all is a queer love story that you’re really rooting for. Dodani and Flynn make a nice couple, and you feel there’s an energy and shared history between them. When scenes aren’t focused on their relationship, the two have a fun buddy-comedy vibe and play off each other well. Everybody pulls their comedic weight while maintaining a straight enough edge to take the peril (and the familial tensions) seriously. By the end of it all, The Parenting has crafted a fine blend of the horror and comedy genres, and fans of either will feel satiated. Importantly, although the set-up relies on a lot of awkward tension, it never keels over into obnoxious or unbelievable awkwardness. You get a real sense of these being genuine couples, thrust together under uncomfortable circumstances and having to band together and put everything aside for the greater good.
It’s unlikely to go down in film history as a modern classic of comedy, but The Parenting offers a really solid, easy, and enjoyable 90 minutes of laughs, with ghosts and ’80s nostalgia thrown in for good measure. The spookiest thing for a ’90s kid like myself is probably the idea that Lisa Kudrow is now old enough to be the mother of a grown man. (At one point, we get the ultimate throwback as she breaks into song in classic Phoebe fashion.) With a script by Saturday Night Live writer Kent Sublette, it’s no surprise that this is classic Friday night popcorn entertainment, perfect for a group of friends, a six-pack, and a pizza.
The Parenting is available to watch March 13 on Max in the U.S.
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The Parenting

An enjoyable ghost train of a comedy boasting a perfectly hilarious ensemble cast.

Release Date

March 13, 2025

Director

Craig Johnson

Writers

Kent Sublette

Producers

Chris Bender, Richard Brener, Jake Weiner, Jared Ian Goldman

Pros & Cons

Great ensemble cast
Solid comedic writing from Kent Sublette
Satisfying balance of horror and comedy

Loses steam a bit in the third act