Movie Review: Blockers as a film satirical note for parents and their children

The parents’ moves to prevent their children from having sex is an attempt at preventing them from adulthood as experiencing sexual intercourse is expected to be an initiation into adulthood

When you have to see a movie that is woven around expressive teens hell-bent on having their virginity squashed at a prom and how their parents are nuts on foiling the despicable plan, you would wonder what the hell you are wasting your time doing at the movies.

But “Blockers” comes with all seriousness of a classroom lecture where the lecturer is the cinematographer breaking up the lives of these teens and their parents into crazy and seemingly unserious scenes.

Teens’ coded language

The free spirited dialogues and the touch of erotic innuendos would set your mind off. Kayla says, “Tonight is the first night of our adult life. I want to go to prom and lose my goddamn virginity.” When you hear Kayla say that, you just want to see the next crazy things the teenagers are up to. The teenagers chat using coded language.

They have a bizarre way of using emojis such that when you read their chats, you would not understand. Their parents have a hard time breaking the codes when they stumble on the chats. Lisa says, “We don’t understand what they’re saying so it’s not snooping.” Trees are weed, eggplants are dicks. The parents begin to decode the emojis. When the reality dawns on them, they begin to struggle with the idea of their children making a stupid sex pact.

 

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Cannon’s first directorial attempt

“Blockers,” Kay Cannon’s directorial debut is not only high on humour but also intelligence so that you don’t just get to laugh alone, you also get to see daylight on informed mind-brightening scenes. Your analytical antennae are made to point northward and your sense of empathy is given some kicks. And to think that this is the first time Kay Cannon, the writer of “Pitch Perfect” franchise would try her hands on directing, it’s not such a bad attempt. You won’t even know if you are not told as the expertise she brings to this movie does not give her up as a beginner.

Actors’ performances

The performances of the cast would certainly keep your eyes glued to the screen as you giggle through the well-lit scenes that beam with such unspeakable cinematic brilliance. The acting prowess of Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon, Graham Philips and the likes lends some creative energy to the movie.

Wit-coated plot

The engaging pillar stone of this riveting comedy is in the wit-coated plot that follows the reactions of parents who get the word that their teenagers have a pact to willingly give themselves up for being deflowered at the prom. What eventually happens as these jealous overprotective parents make daring moves to thwart what they deem senseless act?

Blocking the teenagers

The parents’ moves to prevent their children from having sex is an attempt at preventing them from adulthood as experiencing sexual intercourse is expected to be an initiation into adulthood. The parents’ monitoring of their children reveals their refusal to come to terms with the new adolescence of their children. Mercie says, “Kayla’s becoming a woman, you’re going to have to deal with that.”

These parents would love it if their teenagers remain their puppets forever hence the attempt at forestalling their devious acts.  Mitchel speaks of his daughter, I can’t even hug my daughter anymore without feeling her boobs.” That’s a jealousy creamed submission from an overprotective father. Hunter says, “I can’t believe it’s prom. They’re so grownup.” This goes to show that the parents would love that their parents remain tied to their apron strings both physically and psychologically.

 

Widening the gaps

These parents find it hard to believe that their children would make such silly agreement as it was not like that in their own days. Many things are becoming unthinkable but parents must learn to let their children lead their lives as constant monitoring will keep widening the ancient generational gap between parents and their children.

It's not that these parents were perfect teenagers when they were growing up. Their teenage years could have been worse than that of their children. Lisa, Hunter and Mitchell are reliving their youth through the adventurous escapades of their teenagers. Why are they so curious about the “behind the scenes” life of their children if they were not terrible when they were young?

Dangers of a deliberate loss of virginity

The movie does not laud the teenagers on the parlousness of their sexual pact. It’s not the pact that is really unsafe but the “how” of it.  Virginity is not something you decide on losing in that insouciant manner. Sex, protected or unprotected could lead to many things which the teenagers are not yet ready to take responsibility for. The funny thing therefore is that only one out of the three girls gets deflowered at the end of the day, though it is understood that they have already lost their psychological virginity.

No doubts parents and young people around the world would connect easily with the core of this prom-night comedy which not only exposes certain parental pitfalls but also shows the way forward.

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Don’t blame the parents yet

We may be quick to blame the parents for being overprotective of their children, but which parent would have such information about their teenagers and not rant at the despicable idea? Eventually, the movie advocates the sanctity of chastity, sexual purity and being a responsible parent and young person.

Parents are responsible for the upkeep of their children but their duty is not to beam a searchlight on their children every moment. They are simply to inculcate in their children a sense of responsibility so that when their children are far away from home, there’d be no need for hypertension.

“Blockers” starts playing in cinemas from 20th of April 2018.

Written By Omidire Idowu.

from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online