Helicopter Mom
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Meddling Mom Hovers over Annoyed Teen in Dysfunctional Family Comedy
Lloyd’s (Jason
Dolley) life has been made miserable by his compulsively-hovering mother,
Maggie (Nia Vardalos), who can’t help but monitor his every move. The
frustrated teenager’s only hope for relief rests with getting accepted to a
college clear across the country, since that would make it impossible for her
to meddle in his business day in and day out. Until then, he’s doing his best
to avoid her while making plans to attend the impending senior prom.
But that proves
easier said than done, given how the lonely divorcee has no shame about
peppering her beleaguered little boy with probing personal questions like “Are
you seeing anyone?” “When was your first kiss?” and “What do you think about
when you masturbate?
So, it’s no surprise
that Lloyd isn’t at all forthcoming, even about his sexual preference. That
hasn’t prevented Maggie from coming to the conclusion that he must be gay,
because of such supposedly telltale signs as sensitivity and writing poetry.
Another big clue
she’s seized on is the fact that he prefers to have a platonic relationship
with the gorgeous cheerleader (Skyler Samuels) who’s gone gaga over him.
Consequently, Maggie has not only attempted to coax Lloyd out of the closet,
but she’s applied for scholarships that are reserved for homosexuals.
Is he or isn’t he?
That’s the question at the heart of Helicopter Mom, a dysfunctional family
comedy directed by Salome Breziner (The Secret Life of Dorks). Thanks to a
cleverly-conceived, well-concealed script the movie actually keeps you guessing
whether or not Lloyd is straight right up to the very end.
The film features Oscar-nominee
Nia Vardalos as the title character in her best role since My Big Fat Greek
Wedding (2002). She and co-star Jason Dolley generate the requisite negative
chemistry to convince you that they really might be mother and son locked in a
battle over the right to privacy.
An alternately
humorous and sobering cautionary tale chronicling the woes of an exasperated kid
smothered by a well-meaning mom in an era of omnipresent parenting.
Very Good
(3 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 84 minutes
Distributor: E1
Entertainment
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