The movie Parents is a dark comedy horror film directed by Bob Balaban released in 1989. It stars Randy Quaid as Nick Laemle, the seemingly ordinary father of Michael, played by Bryan Madorsky, who experiences terrifying nightmares, sees disturbing things, and reckons his parents are not what they seem to be. Also starring Mary Beth Hurt as Nick's spouse, Lily, and Sandy Dennis as Miss Baxter, the school's social worker, who tries to understand Michael's state of mind.
The Laemle family has recently moved to a new neighborhood in the suburbs, and Michael is having difficulties adjusting to his new surroundings. His parents, Nick and Lily, seem like the perfect American couple, with Nick cheerfully grilling burgers every night and Lily tirelessly cooking and cleaning the house. They encourage Michael to be a good kid, to be brave, and to eat his daily servings of meat.
However, when Michael starts having nightmares of being swallowed by strange creatures and sees the remnants of human flesh on his parents' plates, he starts to suspect that his parents might be cannibals. He tries to talk to Sheila, his friend from school, but she dismisses his fears. Meanwhile, Miss Baxter is concerned about Michael's wellbeing and attempts to pry information out of him about his family life.
As Michael's nightmares intensify, he becomes increasingly paranoid about his parents' sinister motives. He starts to investigate their strange behavior, snooping around their belongings and eavesdropping on their conversations. His curiosity leads him to discover a disturbing secret about his family's past, which forces him to take drastic measures to protect himself from his parents' voracious appetite.
In Parents, Balaban creates a satirical critique of the 1950s American dream, exposing the underbelly of suburban life hidden beneath a perfect exterior. The movie uses dark humor and horror elements to draw attention to the conformity and duplicity that dominated American values in the post-WWII era. The film's shocking conclusion leaves the audience questioning their own assumptions about the "good old days" and the dark secrets that may lurk behind closed doors.
