ROTTEN TOMATOES: Best and Worst Movie Parents

Best and Worst Movie Parents

May 27, 2009

In Away We Go, John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play expectant parents traveling the US in search of the perfect location to raise their child who worry about how good they'll be at parenting. That got us thinking about some of the most extreme examples of good and bad parenting that we've ever seen in movies. We're not talking Atticus Finch here: we're looking at good moms like Sarah Connor and bad dads like Darth Vader. Below, take a look at our extreme list of the best and worst movie parents.

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(1-17 of 17 posts) | Reply

Pagliacci writes:
on Jun 09 2009 06:48 AM

Heck yeah, Daniel Plainview made the list! But he should be in the "Best" category. You're just a bastard from a basket!

(Reply to this)

Shaun822 writes:
on Jun 09 2009 01:43 PM

The synopsis on Darth Vader is one of the funniest I have read, with the over-involved parent reference.

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JohnnyJonJon writes:
on Jun 10 2009 08:43 AM

Thank you so much to RT for putting the candidates on the front page with links. Jim's dad is definitely near the top of my list. I was expecting Colonel Ludlow from Legends of the Fall to make the list somewhere, either in the worst or best category.

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calwillnol writes:
on Jun 13 2009 07:15 AM

What's wrong with Atticus Finch as best father? Do characters have to kill for their children? Can't they just be incredibly wonderful sacrificing humans who put their children first?
Mrs. Miniver got her children through the bombing of England by the Nazis and never even killed the German soldier who took over her home!
Even Greg Kinnear as the father of Little Miss Sunshine realized that being a dad was more important than anything else in the world.
These lists were terrible.

(Reply to this)

calwillnol writes:
on Jun 13 2009 07:16 AM

What's wrong with Atticus Finch as best father? Do characters have to kill for their children? Can't they just be incredibly wonderful sacrificing humans who put their children first?
Mrs. Miniver got her children through the bombing of England by the Nazis and never even killed the German soldier who took over her home!
Even Greg Kinnear as the father of Little Miss Sunshine realized that being a dad was more important than anything else in the world.
These lists were terrible.

(Reply to this)

Liz W. writes:
on Jun 13 2009 01:04 PM

I think your forgetting April Wheeler from Revolutionary road...

she's selfishly refuses to try and be happy unless her family uproots and moves to another country.

she tells her husband that their children are mistakes, than when she finds that she is pregnant again, she gives herself an abortion, knowing that she would probably die.... which she did...

that's pretty *****ty parenting..

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NeverBurn2 writes:
on Jun 16 2009 03:57 PM

I know Peter Parker (SPIDERMAN) was raised by his Aunt and Uncle rather than Mom and Dad. Still, Aunt Mae and Uncle Ben raised a truly self-less hero.

That's a thumbs up to me!

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rahzim writes:
on Jun 17 2009 07:56 PM

What about the father of the character adam sandler played in waterboy?

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mscodpiece writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:52 PM

What about Gil Buckman??? He epitomizes what a dad won't do to keep his children happy and "normal" by dressing up as cowby Gil at the birthday party, coaching little league, going to his daughters play and just talking with his son about his problems! Sure he is only trying to not be like his dad whom he feels failed him...but he is also a great dad despite his lousy father issues.

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millionairecupid.org writes:
on Sep 17 2009 09:07 AM

cool but i find a more cool one http://wealthyloves.bravehost.com/

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Wendy A. writes:
on Sep 22 2009 11:30 PM

In reply to this comment (#2511858)
I agree that Daniel Plainview wasn't really such a bad Dad. I wouldn't say he was the best either but not under any uncertain terms a bad father. Sure he used the little boy as a prop for his business but he still took good care of him even after he became deaf. Towards the end when he was grown up, he still loved him right up until he got dis-pwned. I blame that on Plainview's raging alcoholism.

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Moulin R. writes:
on Sep 25 2009 10:04 AM

Yeah. and what about Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) in the Patriot? He was the guy who fought with his son and his country, knowing it was the only way to protect his family. Who else goes to war to protect their family?

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RayBrower writes:
on Sep 30 2009 12:18 PM

No Atticus Finch? Best parent, best hero, in any film.

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Blake J. writes:
on Oct 11 2009 05:15 PM

What about Mary Tyler Moore from Ordinary People? She was such a *****.

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RycheNNole writes:
on Nov 11 2009 01:30 PM

In reply to this comment (#2511971)
"The synopsis on Darth Vader is one of the funniest I have read, with the over-involved parent reference."

It is also one of the most inaccurate. Actually irked me at how inaccurate it was.

(Reply to this)

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