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Parenthood has been one of the biggest challenges I've faced in my life. No matter how much you prepare yourself, and how much you think you know what you're doing, the truth is you don't. We're never sure of how things will turn out. And every single day is plagued with the paralyzing fear of doing something that could "ruin" your children's life. We have "no idea what we're doing", and yet we push through whatever we need to. Whether it's teen angst, financial problems, or the machine apocalypse.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines presents us a family that's pretty much going through those struggles and insecurities. Nevermind the machine apocalypse, the core of the film is how this family has to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, external and internal, to save their lives, yes, but most importantly, their relationships and their bond. They might have "no idea what they're doing", but they're still pushing through.
The focus of the film is on the daughter, Katie (Abbi Jacobson), who frequently clashes with her "old school" father Rick (Danny McBride). Because of this, she's anxious to leave for film school in California. But after a particularly bitter argument, Rick decides to cancel her plane ticket and take the family in a cross-country trip from Michigan to California, in an attempt to have one final chance at bonding. Along for the ride are mother Linda (Maya Rudolph), little brother Aaron (Mike Rianda), and their pet dog, Monchi.
There is a moment after that bitter argument where Rick heads to Katie's room to try to fix things, and yet he backs out unsure of what to do or how to do it. The paralyzing fear of thinking "Am I ruining her life?". Instead, he ends up watching old home videos of them; times when they looked happier and "things were better". An attempt to get some comfort on how they did things before and came through, perhaps to get an idea on how to do things now to come through now. But we can look at our past for guidance, and yet we still have to move towards the future, by ourselves, not necessarily knowing what we're doing... hoping that things will somehow turn out well for our children.
When I was a little kid, I used to think my mom had it all figured out. Raising four children alone, and yet it seemed there wasn't anything she didn't know or couldn't do. But if there's one thing I've realized as I get older, is that we are all essentially "wingin' it" through life. We "have no idea" what we're doing. Not me nor Rick Mitchell, and neither my mother. And although it might sound like a terrifying statement, it's actually reassuring to know that we're all essentially on the same boat, and that we're all pushing through despite having no idea what we're doing. Whether we're struggling with the tantrum of all tantrums, or the machine apocalypse.
Grade:
THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES
(2021, Rianda)
An animated film
(2021, Rianda)
An animated film
"I have no idea what I'm doing!!"
Parenthood has been one of the biggest challenges I've faced in my life. No matter how much you prepare yourself, and how much you think you know what you're doing, the truth is you don't. We're never sure of how things will turn out. And every single day is plagued with the paralyzing fear of doing something that could "ruin" your children's life. We have "no idea what we're doing", and yet we push through whatever we need to. Whether it's teen angst, financial problems, or the machine apocalypse.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines presents us a family that's pretty much going through those struggles and insecurities. Nevermind the machine apocalypse, the core of the film is how this family has to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, external and internal, to save their lives, yes, but most importantly, their relationships and their bond. They might have "no idea what they're doing", but they're still pushing through.
The focus of the film is on the daughter, Katie (Abbi Jacobson), who frequently clashes with her "old school" father Rick (Danny McBride). Because of this, she's anxious to leave for film school in California. But after a particularly bitter argument, Rick decides to cancel her plane ticket and take the family in a cross-country trip from Michigan to California, in an attempt to have one final chance at bonding. Along for the ride are mother Linda (Maya Rudolph), little brother Aaron (Mike Rianda), and their pet dog, Monchi.
There is a moment after that bitter argument where Rick heads to Katie's room to try to fix things, and yet he backs out unsure of what to do or how to do it. The paralyzing fear of thinking "Am I ruining her life?". Instead, he ends up watching old home videos of them; times when they looked happier and "things were better". An attempt to get some comfort on how they did things before and came through, perhaps to get an idea on how to do things now to come through now. But we can look at our past for guidance, and yet we still have to move towards the future, by ourselves, not necessarily knowing what we're doing... hoping that things will somehow turn out well for our children.
When I was a little kid, I used to think my mom had it all figured out. Raising four children alone, and yet it seemed there wasn't anything she didn't know or couldn't do. But if there's one thing I've realized as I get older, is that we are all essentially "wingin' it" through life. We "have no idea" what we're doing. Not me nor Rick Mitchell, and neither my mother. And although it might sound like a terrifying statement, it's actually reassuring to know that we're all essentially on the same boat, and that we're all pushing through despite having no idea what we're doing. Whether we're struggling with the tantrum of all tantrums, or the machine apocalypse.
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