Top 10 Times Terrible Movie Parents Got What They Deserved
#10: Mother Gothel
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“Tangled” (2010)
It’s bad enough to see a parent mistreat a child, but it’s even worse when the child has no idea they’re being mistreated. That’s a prominent theme in Disney’s adaptation of the “Rapunzel” fairytale. Actually, it’s more accurate to call Mother Gothel a “kidnapper” than a “parent.” The wicked Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby, as the princess’ hair held the healing power that allowed Gothel to retain her youthful appearance. After 18 years of captivity, Rapunzel finally sees her so-called mother for who she really is. And Mother Gothel’s hubris and cruelty are shown to be no match for nobility and sacrifice. Here’s someone who didn’t know the meaning of “aging gracefully.”
#9: Fiona
“A Cinderella Story” (2004)
When a movie is called “A Cinderella Story,” you expect some well-earned retribution for a certain stepmother. That’s what happens in this adaptation, starring Hillary Duff as Sam Montgomery, a teenager treated terribly by her stepmother, Fiona. Played by Jennifer Coolidge, Fiona steals from Sam, tries to stop her from going to college, and is constantly cruel to her. And many of her acts aren't just unkind, they're illegal. So, it's no surprise when the police arrive to arrest Fiona for things like child labor law violations. She and her daughters manage to avoid serving time by working at the diner that rightfully belonged to Sam. Compared to prison, that honestly doesn’t sound too bad.
#8: Jim Court
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“Say Anything…” (1989)
Parents want what’s best for their children. But that can cause them to overstep their boundaries. High school seniors Diane Court and Lloyd Dobler couldn't be more different in terms of ambition, but they still manage to form a special bond. Diane's father, Jim, played by John Mahoney, can't look past Lloyd's perceived shortcomings and encourages her to leave him. But Mr. Court isn't the best judge of right and wrong, considering that he's under IRS investigation for stealing from residents of his retirement home. He ends up serving time, and Diane and Lloyd still end up together. While it’s clear that Jim loves his daughter, he needs to learn that love means accepting someone as they are, not as you want them to be.
#7: Royal Tenenbaum
“The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)
This father is “royal” only in the sense that he’s a royal pain. The patriarch of director Wes Anderson’s Tenenbaum family, played by Gene Hackman, seems to think the best way to parent is by belittling his children and ignoring them for decades. He only tries to reunite with them after being evicted from the hotel he was living at. And how does he try to get back into their good graces? By pretending to have a life-threatening illness. Fortunately, he soon has to face up to the consequences of his lies. Royal eventually learns what it means to truly care about others, showing that even old dogs can learn new tricks.
#6: Harry & Zinnia Wormwood
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“Matilda” (1996)
The Trunchbull is bad enough, but young Matilda also has to deal with two of the most unlikable parents in movie history. The Wormwoods, played by director Danny DeVito and his then-wife Rhea Perlman, are nasty, self-involved people, who along with their son, Michael, make Matilda’s life a living nightmare. But the thoughtful Matilda’s intelligence isn’t limited to her reading ability. She also has telekinetic powers that serve her well numerous times. The movie ends with Matilda's family fleeing the country to avoid legal prosecution and Matilda being adopted by the sweet Ms. Honey. Who knows what Matilda will be capable of in an actually supportive household?
#5: Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent
“Ever After” (1998)
You can’t have a Cinderella story without a wicked stepmother, and Rodmilla de Ghent certainly qualifies. Played by Anjelica Huston, Rodmilla is incredibly vain and cruel, tormenting Danielle and showing favors to her daughters. But it's her dishonesty that proves to be her downfall. After it's discovered she lied about Danielle's marital status, she loses her rank and risks banishment. But, thanks to Danielle's intervention, she gets to stay home, albeit with a much less glamorous lifestyle. True to its title and fairy tale origins, this story ends “Happily ever after.” It just depends on who you ask.
#4: Denethor
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)
While J.R.R. Tolkien painted Denethor as a wise but tragic figure, Peter Jackson portrayed him as selfish and cowardly. After Sauron captures the city of Osgiliath, Denethor sends his son, Faramir, on a hopeless quest to retake it. And when his son returns badly injured, he's convinced he's dead and nearly gets them both killed. Soon enough, Denethor’s delusions lead to his demise. His issues stemmed partly from his grief over the death of his eldest son Boromir, which seemed to only increase his callous treatment of Faramir. Did they have family therapy in Middle-earth?
#3: Stryker
“X2” (2003)
Colonel William Stryker's son, Jason, is a mutant. But that hasn't exactly made him an ally to the cause. After not being able to cure Jason of his condition, Stryker had him lobotomized and forced to live under his control. This was used for severely unethical purposes, namely to wipe out mutants, including Wolverine, who he had previously experimented on. But Stryker is defeated when the dam literally bursts. His deep-seated hatred for mutants stems from the loss of his wife at the hands of his son, but Stryker still could’ve realized that his prejudiced beliefs weren’t the truth.
#2: King Stefan
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“Maleficent” (2014)
In Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty,” King Stefan is portrayed as a noble ruler who has to make a terrible sacrifice to protect his newborn daughter. But “Maleficent” shows there’s more than one side to a story. When they were young, Stefan and Maleficent shared a romance. But he betrayed her in order to become king, resulting in Maleficent cursing his newborn daughter, Aurora. Stefan's hardship doesn't make him remorseful, and his ego proves to be his literal downfall. Maleficent might have some rather impressive horns, but Stefan is the one who comes across as truly devilish here, falling to his doom in the end.
#1: Ego
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“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)
If someone is introduced to you as “Ego,” you should probably avoid them. However, it’s a little more complicated when that someone is your father. And it’s a lot more complicated when he’s a living planet projecting itself as a humanoid. True to his name, Ego, father of Peter Quill, holds himself in unreasonably high esteem, wanting to make it so that he’s the only being in existence throughout the universe. And he goes as far as killing his other children and Peter’s mother, Meredith, to accomplish his selfish goal. Peter’s newly realized Celestial powers, as well as the rest of the Guardians, help to put an end to Ego and his ego. He’s definitely not the “Universe’s Greatest Dad.”
