World’s Best Parent Guide

Prem Patel (Manny Magnus) is a young math prodigy with a big imagination. He eats, sleeps, and dreams math at the encouragement of his mother (Punam Patel). But Prem often wonders about his father (Utkarsh Ambudkar), who died when he was young. When he learns that his father was a rapper, Prem decides to try that identity on for size. As Prem tries to be more like his dad, he starts to lose sight of himself.

Junior high is a time when kids start to explore their identities, and that often involves copying the identities of the people around them, like friends and family members. What I appreciate about World’s Best is that it explores this very relatable part of growing up in a thoughtful but fun way. Prem is defined by being a math prodigy but decides that he wants to be more than that, so he tries becoming a rapper like his dad. That identity doesn’t completely fit either, and leads to some interpersonal conflicts, so Prem learns to integrate multiple sides of his identity into one whole person. In addition to exploring Prem’s personal growth, the story also examines grief as Prem’s mom deals with being a widowed mom and Prem tries to grieve a dad he barely remembers.

On top of a better-than-expected script, the music in the film is fun. Prem imagines elaborate rap numbers for him and his dad to perform, which are surprisingly catchy. This imaginative element also gives the production some color and life, as a good soundtrack should. Utkarsh Ambudkar is an extremely charismatic actor, which helps carry the film, but Manny Magnus holds his own – an admirable feat for such a young actor.

Overall, I think World’s Best is a great option for family viewing. It’s well written, has appealing music, and offers viewers a fun time. The only negative content of note is a small amount of swearing. For a Disney+ original, I was surprised at the quality of this movie. It’s not going to win any awards, but it’s a heartfelt story in an entertaining package and what more can you really expect?