Blockers ** (2018, John Cena, Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Newton ) – Movie Review

Three idiot parents try to stop their daughters from fulfilling their pact to have sex on prom night. So what else is new?

Blockers is rude and raunchy, with some hilarious one liners and some funny crude humour, and three excellent, well-judged comedy performances from John Cena, Leslie Mann and Ike Barinholtz as the idiot parents. They form a surprisingly good comedy team, though the young people in the cast are considerably less likable or funny.

Most of the film is anti-sex, which the screenplay actually discusses, but it is anyway. It turns out that one of the daughters is a lesbian, and this gives rise to some uncomfortable, though well-meant and reasonably carefully handled humour.

Blockers is directed by Kay Cannon, and written Brian Kehoe and Jim Kehoe. These kinds of movies are hard to write and direct successfully, as the area is pretty well trodden ground, so they must be congratulated on having done a pretty good job, with the rather obvious premise seeming fresh and original. But it plays best late at night in a good mood after several beers.

It is strong comedy material, rated R for crude and sexual content, and language throughout, drug content, teen partying, and some graphic nudity.

A rooster (or cock) is shown before the word Blockers on the poster to hint at the implied full title of Cock Blockers. They’ve tried to distract attention from that idea with the contrived adline ‘Parents can be such Blockers.’ A ‘feminist teen comedy’ and ‘the kids are all right’, I don’t think so. It’s all about middle-aged frustration and angst.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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