Prom. It’s a magical time and the most expensive date most young couples will have. In the film Blockers, that magical night serves as a backdrop for a pact between three lifelong friends. But when the girls’ parents find out about the pact, the race is on to stop them at all costs.
Julie (Kathryn Newton) decides to take her relationship with her boyfriend to the next level, and before you know it, her best friends Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Sam (Gideon Adlon) are in on the agreement. Together they make #sexpact2018 their battle cry.
There is one small problem, however: Julie left her laptop open, and all of the girls’ messages are now able to be seen by Julie’s mom Lisa (Leslie Mann), Kayla’s dad Mitchell (John Cena) and Sam’s dad Hunter (Ike Barinholtz). When they finally translate the emoji-speak occurring between the girls, the parents decree they must prevent this pact from ever being completed.
The parents race to the prom and every post-prom location they can track down, setting up some precarious situations and eliciting laughter. But when they finally find the girls, the whole night takes a different turn for all involved.
We’ve seen this movie before, but it usually depicts the boys in control, and the girls are just along for the ride. Now the girls are controlling their own fates — that is, if they can avoid the meddling parents.
If I had to pick one of the dads whom I related to more than anyone in the film, it would be Cena’s Mitchell — and not just for the good looks and muscles (oh, who am I kidding, I’ve got none of those). But I do have an emotional attachment with my daughter that echoes one Cena has with his daughter in the film. It’s hard to see your daughter growing up in this way, but it is reality. Although the kids are at the center of the story, the film is more about the relationships between parents and their children.
I had to think long and hard about what I felt about this film. In one corner I saw really great performances from Mann, Cena and Barinholtz, along with their onscreen kids. I laughed, out loud, a number of times throughout the film. But then I also wondered, are movies like this desensitizing us to bigger issues that exist with today’s teenagers?
In the end, the bottom line is that this was supposed to make me laugh, and laugh I did. I’m also reassured. As a parent, striking a balance in your relationship with your child is important. Yes, they are your little boy or girl, but they will grow and have to be allowed to succeed or fail on their own merits. You’ve taught them well, Mom and Dad. Let them live, too, and you shouldn’t be disappointed.
Blockers is available On Demand beginning July 3. Check your cable system for availability.
