I recently saw a doublex.com article titled “The Era of Great Parents in Teen Movies is Upon Us” in which author Laruen Bans examines a number of parental roles in past teen movies. She points out that, for years, teen comedy parents have been portrayed as, at best, oblivious and disconnected from their kids, or at worst, out-and-out abusive idiots. And I couldn’t agree with her more.
I guess the common sentiment in Hollywood has been that you just have to have moronic adults in those kinds of flicks. Otherwise what common oppression would the cool Ferris Buellers or geeky Jim Levensteins of the world rebel against?
On the other hand, the author thinks we’re entering a time when movie parents are coming into their own. She purports that they’re understanding, compassionate and caring individuals who support their offspring and ultimately give rise to some savvy kids. And she cheers moviemaker’s efforts.
Since I’m sure you’re now poised with pen in hand to jot down the title of any teen flick with such a fab mom and pop, I’ll give you her example: “The most recent iteration of awesome parents in a teen film were the almost unbelievably cool parents of Emma Stone’s character, Olive Penderghast, in Easy A.”
Don’t know the pic? It’s a movie about a high school girl who goes through a real-life version of The Scarlet Letter when she fakes having sex with a bunch of guys and gains a sleazy reputation.
The cool parents? Well, they take their daughter’s antics in stride. When she starts wearing risqué outfits to school, the best Mom can come up with is, “No judgment, but you kind of look like a stripper.” “A high end stripper, for governors or athletes,” her dad mollifies. And then they eventually go on to chat about their own sex lives.
Now, those are some awesome parents … if you’re 13 and don’t know any better.
I can’t claim to have written any How To books on parenting, and I’m not trying to demean this Double X writer’s sensibilities, but give me a break. Yes, parents need to try to understand a teen’s struggles, but if that’s all they have to do to make them “great” examples in film, then we’re setting the bar pretty low.
I’m sure the moviemakers are reflecting that enlightened philosophy that says “kids are gonna do what kids are gonna do” and the best we parents can manage is to give them support. But just chucking them on the arm, tossing them a pack of prophylactics and a heartfelt, “Be careful now,” doesn’t equal superb parenting in my opinion. The truth is, kids need guidance and generally appreciate and gain from it when it’s given.
Just as a small for instance, recent research from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found that kids who regularly sit down to dinner with their families are half as likely to do things like smoke or take drugs as compared to the kids who don’t. Now, I don’t think that impact has anything with chowing down on a daily requirement of green vegetables. In my opinion, it has more to do with parents asking questions and kids talking while they chew.
OK, OK, I’ll step off my soapbox and quit my grousing. But no pats on the collective Hollywood back just yet from me.
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