Highly Overrated But Still Good

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Parenthood is a great movie, in the fact, it addresses many issues of parenting we can identify with, it's sort of like a couple of episodes of a family drama, combined, but is wonderfully told in a near two hour film. The performances are great, even Reeves, as another sort of layabout, sponging boyfriend living with girlfriend (Plympton) in her mum's house. The mum, played by Dianne Wiest is such a likable character, but one I could identify with, as it's a very real character, resembling mother's I've met. We see the attitudes from all walks of people, the so common, and real problems that can't be brushed under the carpet, like Steve Martin's little boy, struck with mental illness. I liked the well drawn and different character of Hulce's as an addictive gambler. An interesting angle. He's so bloody convincing, I just now realized where is he these days? He comes back home, cause some bad dudes are after him, while later, would you believe, he pulls his Dad (the great Jason Robards) into one of his schemes. We really see how this addictions got him. There's so many wonderful performances where the film never dulls, as we go from one conflict to another, back and forth. Too, Moranis singing "Close To You" to girlfriend, (Kozak) you've got to see, while Martin, lands himself another hottie wife, a babe in blue I'll never forget.

This movie is fun and enjoyable for all age groups. The characters are well handled and the story is engaging. Despite what is says on the back of the DVD this story is not just about Steve Martin although he is the key protagonist in the movie.The best parts of the film are with the mother and her daughter and son scenes, The husband and wife scenes and the Old man and his troubled son. These worked well and I felt they were more reflective of the 20th century American Family.The movie is an easy watch. Rich Moranis and Keanu Reeves are prominent stars that do a good job in the film. They should be given a mention as they were arguable as important as Steve in the film.An enjoyable film worth the watch.

Parenthood follows the everyday trials and tribulations of up to 5 generations of the Buckman family, the centrepiece of which is Gil (Steve Martin) – in the film at least.Gil wants to be a better Dad than his own father (Jason Robards), than the well meaning but domineering Nathan (Rick Moranis), the negligent and unreliable Larry (Tom Hulce) and the non-existent former spouse of his sister Helen (Dianne Wiest) who has run out on his two teenage children. But Gil and wife Karen (Mary Steenburgen), as every couple, have their own problems with career demands, family issues and 3 young kids with their own idiosyncrasies and developmental problems.As you might guess the cast is quite stellar and probably wouldn't be possible in this day and age of inflated salaries and egos, Parenthood isn't so much an 'event film' as one which shows the various generations dealing with raising kids of various ages in their own ways.Some of the occurrences and developments in the film are quite serious in tone but obviously dealt with in amusing fashion. While teenage angst, sex and domineering parents might seem like easy targets for comedy they also manage to squeeze a chuckle or two from broken and breaking relationships and neglectful parents.The entire cast does well at providing carefully rendered characters, Steve Martin as always provides the deadpan laughs, the exception being the immortal kid's birthday party scene where he is allowed to run wild and crazy as Cowboy Gil the most amusing party entertainment on film.Hulce is unlikable as the fast talking deadbeat Larry – which is the point, and Weist is very good as the downtrodden and almost desperate single Mum Helen trying to juggle 2 growing kids and a moronic live in boyfriend/husband to her daughter played by Keanu Reeves, who at the time was still embracing his doofus image.It's hard to talk about Parenthood in more detail, the humour is created through the low key realistic situations and how those going through them deal with them. Aside from the Cowboy Gil scene there aren't too many laugh out loud moments but there are numerous chuckles to be had and the film quite accurately proves what Robards' character says near the end; 'once you start you never stop being a parent'.Final Rating – 7.5 / 10. Memorable and worthwhile, if not classic. Parenthood has dated quite well in 20 plus years and remains as relevant and amusing today.

Ron Howard has slowly found himself becoming more and more of a bona fide filmmaker as he continues to explore positivity through his films. Parenthood represents the best film he's made in the 80's and a testament to parents everywhere. Though some of the content is a bit crude, the film overall has a wonderful impact that explores both youthful angst and the family dynamic. The best part about Howard's filmmaking is that he is not being childish and supporting the angst of teenagers but he is also not being overly uptight and siding with the adults. What he is doing is an understanding and unbiased look at what has become the average American family.