Pater Familias … because I'm your FATHER!

Danny DeVito as dirtbag dad -- one of many reasons for grownups to love this blast from kidflick past. DeVito does, to a T, lowlife Harry Wormwood,  crook used-car salesman who browbeats his genius daughter Matilda (Mara Wilson) for reading instead of watching TV with the rest of the knucklehead  fam. DeVito also directed and narrated Matilda, adapted from same-name book by the late Raold Dahl, who authored Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, twice made into movies that are bent and kinda mean -- but in really good ways. Matilda nastiness tops out with child hater diesel sadist Miss Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), principal of world's worst school. Good-girl Matilda, who possesses telekinetic powers, takes spectacular vengeance on her no-good grownups. Affirming, sort of, but mostly funny, especially for girls six and up. Ours laughed and laughed. Pater dug it so much he's going to blog about it. All from Amazon.com: online or download to rent ($3) or own($10), buy DVD ($10). Buy, read Roald Dahl's Matilda.