Another aspect of “Despicable Me 4” that will hit too close to home for some parents is Gru’s frigid relationship with his newborn son, Gru Jr. Though the infant clearly loves his mother, Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), he meets his dad’s affections with disdain or outright hostility. While father and son are waiting in a car pool line, Gru Jr. even begins to actively antagonize Gru Sr. by maliciously popping balloons in the back seat of the car.
Hopefully, no adult in the audience is dealing with a child as despicable as Gru Jr. (though if they are, a “Despicable Me” movie is probably the perfect way to keep them busy for an hour or so). At the same time, it’s not uncommon for parents to have anxiety about being unable to connect with their children, especially if they aren’t the birthing parent. This is actually a rather natural extension of the original movie’s central themes, as a similar anxiety can crop up for parents who have recently adopted children (as Gru has in “Despicable Me”).
Admittedly, “Despicable Me 4” doesn’t really offer any meaningful insight into this dynamic — unless a parent can plausibly imagine their newborn turning into a cockroach that won’t love them unless they’re dangling from a skyscraper. Otherwise, parents can at least take comfort that plenty of other parents feel the exact same way.
