30th Anniversary: 1989 - the Best Year in Cinema Marathon Film #55/100: "Parenthood" (2nd Viewing.) I can see why this spawned a successful TV series, though not really interested in seeing any more. This movie was just fine. I found myself laughing out loud more than about a dozen times. I worried about the runtime up front - over 2 hours, but it never felt long and I definitely got involved with this family. Really enjoyed this touching family drama/comedy.

Parenthood is a thoroughly enjoyable comedy drama that you feel doesn't take as many convenient short cuts as many family movies do. Everyone has a colorful family to some extent; most (I hope) are full of good natured people but there are always rotten apples floating around.

Director Ron Howard puts many lives on display and different challenges each one faces and every one of these inspections have something to offer. Steve Martin's reactions to his older son's adjustment problems are very well realized, with many humorous moments, to be sure, but at the core is a maturely handled and moving segment, and Martin has rarely been better.

Diane Wiest's family drama consists of her inability to communicate properly to her two teenage children; the daughter a temperamental rebel with a "loser" boyfriend, the son a nearly recluse loner with raging hormones who thinks something is wrong with him (what guy hasn't been there at least once?). Superb performances form Wiest and (yes, surprisingly) Keanu Reeves really fuel this story which never loses itself despite seeing many humorous aspects in a rather depressing household.

Jason Robards plays the family father who hasn't been all that good to his children since...well ever, and he faces a tough assignment when he has to admit to himself that one of his children, who has learned the most from him, is heading into disaster fast. The scene where he asks Steve Martin for advice is a moving scene in so many ways; it's never too late for an old dog to learn new tricks.

Rick Moranis's tale of his insanely intellectual daughter is my least favorite but it does have a very charming conclusion. And that granny is priceless.

Parenthood may be even better for those who have children and can identify with some situations depicted here but as for me, I think I can learn a thing or two for years to come.

I babysit a lot and when my cousins have pulled pranks, I go home crying to my mom about how hard it is to handle them sometimes and she laughs at me and says "Wait 'till it's 24-7", 'cause I would like to have 3 kids one day. I think we all forget that our parents are people too every once in a while and I ask my mom and dad how they did it, but they always tell me there is no book to raising a child, you just have to do the best you can and Parenthood is a comedic and sometimes serious interpretation of what all parents go through in the greatest and scariest times of their kid's lives.

We go through four siblings: Gil, played by Steve, who is trying so hard to be the perfect dad to his four children, but finds it to be too much than he expected. Larry, played by Tom, who can't seem to grow up and accept his responsibility to be a dad. Helen, played by Dianne, who has rebellious kids and she's a single mom learning how to handle her high school married daughter. And Julie, played by Martha, who's husband, played by Rick, won't stop taking over their daughter's possible fun childhood by stuffing her head with information she won't need until Harvard Law School.

Parenthood is a terrific movie that really shows how hard it is to be a parent, but the terrific rewards that come with it. Not to mention that there is great humor to it as well, but it was so realistically portrayed that anyone could get into this film. If you are a parent or daughter or son, this is the movie to watch. It really is a great film and the cast just brought so much to over all a terrific film.

10/10