Midler, Crystal offer ‘Parental Guidance’

The family comedy ”Parental Guidance,” opening nationwide on Christmas, is Bette Midler’s first movie in several years.

She and Billy Crystal play Diane and Artie Decker, grandparents whose family spirit is challenged when their daughter leaves their three young children grandchildren on their hands for an extended stay.

It’s especially challenging because Crystal’s character, a job-obsessed baseball announcer, has recently been fired from his job.

”This is a second chance for him,” Midler says, ”and, in order for him to find self-knowledge, he has to slay the dragons, who are these grandkids. I call it ‘Home Alone for Grandparents.’ We are stuck there with those three kids. They’re not monsters, but they are really tough and they are set in their ways and they are not budging. I’m the sidekick. I’m the Sancho Panza. I kind of liked that role. I enjoyed it.”

“I had a lot of fun doing it.”

Marisa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott play their daughter and son-in-law and Bailee Madison plays their daughter.

Andy Frickman directs the film, which is rated PG for some rude humor, and which runs 105 minutes.

Opens Christmas Day

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