5 Uncomfortable Movies About Extremely Troubled Parenting
- NLN
- 13 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Parent-child relationships on screen can be heartwarming... or deeply unsettling. Some films peel back the curtain on the messiest, most dysfunctional dynamics imaginable. If you like your family dramas with a side of tension and existential dread, here are five films that dive headfirst into the chaos of bad parenting:
1. Carnage (2011)
Roman Polanski's biting dark comedy traps two sets of parents in an apartment after their sons get into a schoolyard fight. What starts as a civilized discussion about discipline quickly descends into personal attacks, marital confessions, and whiskey-fueled meltdowns. The film exposes how parents often project their worst traits onto their children while pretending to act in their best interest.
2. A Normal Family (2023)
This South Korean thriller simmers with moral decay behind an upper-class facade. Two brothers -- a doctor and a lawyer -- and their wives navigate a shocking incident involving their teenage children. As their polished lives unravel, the film questions how far parents will go to protect their offspring, and at what moral cost. It's a tense, stylish exploration of blood loyalty gone rotten.
3. The Babadook (2014)
Grief, resentment, and single parenthood take terrifying form in this Australian horror. Amelia is
struggling to raise her difficult young son after the death of her husband. Enter Mister Babadook, a
sinister children's book character who may or may not be real. The film is a chilling metaphor for
maternal burnout and the monsters it can create.
4. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Few films capture the fear of raising a child you don't understand like this harrowing drama. Tilda
Swinton delivers a devastating performance as a mother grappling with guilt, denial, and horror after
her son commits a shocking act of violence. It's a bleak but unforgettable look at nature, nurture,
and the question: was it her fault?
5. Hereditary (2018)
Ari Aster's breakout horror film takes generational trauma to literal and supernatural extremes. After
the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette) watches her family spiral into grief and madness.
Between strained mother-daughter relationships and terrifying family secrets, Hereditary suggests
some parenting damage can never be undone -- even after death.