Aliens Abducted My Parents (and Now I feel Kinda Left Out) sure feels like the clickbait version of a movie title. Makes you think you’ll be watching a wackier, more satirical movie than what you actually get. And I’d be frowny faced at that if the title ultimately didn’t come back around and fit thematically, if not tonally.

The flick is about the new girl in town who gets saddled with writing an article about the weird kid in school. He dresses in a homemade astronaut suit and thinks aliens abducted his parents ten years ago.

So, yeah, instead of being a wacky weird movie, it’s a sweetheart of a teen rom-com. It’s charming and affable and gentle. It made me laugh and smile fondly throughout. Not uproariously, but enough. I liked the two leads (and the kid who plays the little brother). They have a lot of chemistry together and it’s nice to see a high school girl depicted as not having qualms about the weird kid.

Unfortunately, the teen boy might be miscast. I might be an -ist for saying this, but the guy is just too cute or handsome or whatever word suits this guy. I guess that makes me a “cute-boy-ist”? But he was too adorable a dude to believe all the girls in school can’t stand him. But maybe I’m just being shallow about teen girls? Call me a “teen-girl-ist” then. Sigh.

Also, the ending is probably not the right touch. It kind of makes sense for the core plot, but not really for the relationship and gentle comic feel. But it’s short and made me wistful so I’ll allow it.

This movie may not be for everyone but I think if you like quirky comedies or teen rom-coms, check it out. Just don’t expect whatever it is that title implies to you.

Score: 83