Amazon.com essential video: Ron Howard's 1989 hit, written by fellow family men Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Splash, A League of Their Own), is an original comedy about contemporary life and the eternal responsibilities of raising children. Steve Martin has never been better than as a dedicated husband and father trying (and inevitably failing, as do most of us) to balance the demands of his kids and his job. The actor, like his character, throws himself into the part quite touchingly, never more so than in a scene where a hired clown fails to show up at a children's party and Martin's character unabashedly provides the entertainment. Good as Martin is, this is actually an ensemble piece with numerous actors playing members of the same family, with cross-generational joys and disappointments in the air--and parents in conflict, children in love, and so on. Jason Robards is very good as a patriarch who finally accepts the reality that the son he adores (Tom Hulce) is a major screwup. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - A quiet comedy about a dysfunctional family
This has always been a favorite movie of mine, though I can't point to a particular reason why. It's a star-studded "sleeper" film, a quiet film, filled with hilarious comedy and family dysfunction. Frank Buckman (the fantastic Jason Robards) and Marilyn Buckman (Eileen Ryan, mother to Sean and Chris Penn) are the patriarch and matriarch of the Buckman clan. They have four adult children; Gil Buckman (Steve Martin), Helen Buckman-Lampkin (amazing Diane Wiest), Susan Buckman-Huffner (Harley Jane Kozak) and youngest Larry Buckman (Tom Hulce). Living with Frank and Marilyn is Grandma (my favorite ... Read More
Rating: - Good fun, even more now having kids
This is a fabulous film. Steve Martin is great, but so is the rest of the fantastic cast. There are great laugh out loud moments and the film has a ig heart that makes the movie great to watch over and over.
Rating: - A superb cast elevates this rather heavy handed vehicle...
Ron Howard is the undisputed king of schmaltz; I mean, seriously, does he do anything other than feel good heart tuggers? `Parenthood' was one of his earlier successes, and its easy to see why it was so well loved. You have a group of very talented actors weaving together a touching story about family and love and togetherness and it's presented with a shiny red bow that will make your eyes glisten with anticipation.
Yes, this movie is very likable.
You have Gil, who was never really loved by his father, who is trying to wrap his head around the concept that his son may ... Read More
Rating: - Took itself way to seriously.
This movie looked really funny in the trailers...I found, however, that most of the funnier scenes were already shown in the trailers show there wasn't much else to see. All the funny stuff happens within the first 10 or so minutes into this one and after that there are just one or two more laughs scattered here and there. For the most part I found this movie way to serious, and it wasn't entertaining to me. I can see how others can relate to it, but I am a single guy with no kids or girlfriend...so I cannot really relate to it. If you are a parent though it might be worth your while to ignore this ... Read More
Rating: - nice
this movie was great because it dealt with 'the family', with life, as something messy. it felt more real to me than other movies dealing with the same material because it was almost dark for a family movie. don't get me wrong... it's not at all depressing or dystopian, but it isn't the typical disney 'it's all flowers and sunshine' either. it dealt with (granted) stereotypical problems parents and children face. because all of the families in the movie were related we got to see a bunch of different types of family dynamics, and it was also interesting to note that they interacted normally with each ... Read More
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