Movies: “Blockers” Upends Double-Standard In Rite​ ​Of​ ​Passage Comedy

For decades, beginning with the groundbreaking Porky’s and extending to modern classics from Superbad to American Pie, guys have watched on-screen versions of guys like them boldly and bawdily celebrate the first time they have sex.

It’s time the ladies have their shot to celebrate the story of their first time, in Universal Pictures' new comedy Blockers (in Philippine cinemas May 02).

With her directorial debut, director Kay Cannon (writer of the Pitch Perfect series) has created a timely coming-of-age comedy that takes one of the most relatable rites of passages and hilariously upends a long-held double standard. One of only a handful of women ever to direct an R-rated comedy for a big studio, Cannon shares a story about that one milestone none of us ever forget.

When three parents discover their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal. As nonstop helicoptering struggles with awkwardly letting go, the well-meaning trio shares in the raucous comedy that accompanies their kids’ biggest step into adulthood.

Lisa (Leslie Mann), Mitchell (John Cena) and Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) are thrown together by fate—or rather their daughters becoming fast friends on the first day of kindergarten. As their inseparable girls grow into ride-or-die young adults, the trio of parents becomes de facto commiserates, sharing in their kids’ special moments, from birthdays and teen heartaches to first dances and now prom.

Their personalities are as different as their parenting styles: Single mom Lisa and daughter Julie (Kathryn Newton) are more like besties who share everything with each other. Hard-core athlete and doting dad Mitchell puts in his blood, sweat and tears into rearing Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) with wife Marcie (Sarayu Blue) and keeping Kayla on the right track. After an ugly divorce, slightly unhinged Hunter dips in and out of life with daughter Sam (Gideon Adlon)…only to crash her prom night with the goal of making her evening epic.

After stumbling upon a series of suggestive text messages that reveal a sex pact among the young women, the unlikely trio joins forces on a misguided mission to keep their daughters from making what they believe is the biggest mistake of their lives. But over the course of a wild night of car chases, butt-chugging contests and party crashing, they begin to see their daughters as the smart, determined and empowered young women they knew they’d become all along.

Blockers is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.