'Mom and Dad' review: Nic Cage, uncaged

Hungry Hollywood types try to perfect what's known as "the elevator pitch," a tantalizer so high-concept it can hook a studio exec before he or she gets off at his floor.

So here's one: "It's 'The Purge,' but for parents."

And that's the basis - and, practically, the whole plot - of "Mom and Dad," a short and nasty black comedy that has Nic Cage and Selma Blair as a suburban couple out to kill their kiddies.

Why? That's a good question, and one that the film has as much interest in as, oh, the original "Night of the Living Dead" had in what was giving dead people the munchies.

All you need to know is that "a switch has been flipped" - and every parent's fierce, protect-my-children instinct has now become a beat-on-the-brats commandment.

Suddenly, "I could kill that kid" has become not a bit of unguarded hyperbole, but a consummation devoutly to be wished. Here comes Daddy. Better run, Junior.

There's not much more to the story than that, and it hurts; although George Romero's classic zombie tale spent time developing characters and conflicts, most of "Mom and Dad" is just the two parents chasing their progeny around the house.

There are a few flashbacks, but instead of filling out the story, they just pad it - an odd thing to need when your feature doesn't even break 80 minutes before the end credits start to roll.

The film, though, boasts a genuinely go-for-broke performance from Cage as the deadly dad. The antic actor (who worked with director Brian Taylor before, on the gonzo "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance") is known for going over the top, of course. But here he's over the top, down the hill, and careening around the other side.

It's not exactly character-appropriate (he seems crazed long before he's supposed to be) but he sure is fun to watch. And so is Selma Blair, an actress who deserves better luck (and roles) than she's had lately, and brings a sharp, knowing glint to her character's mad glare.

Of course, a more disciplined movie would have reeled Cage in a bit, and a smarter one would let Blair dig deeper. It would have pushed more, too -- it's a bit too quickly content to let the parents get away with blaming the kids for their own boring lives.

But for a grim, gory little black comedy - and one with a smart third-act twist - "Mom and Dad" will do just fine as an impulsive, late-night, on-demand rent. Even if it's not quite worth two movie tickets and a baby sitter.

Ratings note: The film contains violence, gore, strong language, drug abuse and nudity.

Stephen Whitty may be reached at stephenjwhitty@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwhitty. Find him on <a