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This might very well be the most balanced- and excellent mix of drama and comedy I have ever seen. I already loved "Parenthood" when I was a kid and I perhaps love it even more now as a grownup, when I recently watched it again.

Perhaps the greatest strength of this movie is in its realism. Sure every character and event in the movie are somewhat silly and over-the-top but yet they also feel like very real problems and persons at the same time. This due to the great portrayal of the drama elements in the movie. These are real, recognizable or not, family-issues portrayed in this movie. It handles some delicate subjects but never without a smile as well. It makes this movie both touching and warm to watch, as well as fun and amusing.

Reason why both the dramatic and comical elements all work so well is also thanks to the cast. The movie has many well known actors in it. Tom Hulce especially impressed me and also Steve Martin was a great leading man, from the period when he was still funny in movies. Solid as always were Mary Steenburgen and Dianne Wiest. Rick Moranis surprisingly doesn't play a loser this time but he still is a nutty character in the movie. He shows in this movie that he also has some real acting skills. Keanu Reeves is also good in his role, from the period when he appeared mostly in just comedies. The still very young Joaquin Phoenix also plays a great and quite big role in the movie.

It has some totally unforgettable moments in it, both comedy-wise as in its drama. It all makes this movie one of the most warm and subtle movies ever made. It doesn't try to be funny, it doesn't try to be melodramatic. The end result of it all is an extremely well balanced and crafted mix of drama and comedy that works on both levels. You can watch this movie as a drama or as a comedy, so fans of both the genre will be pleased with this movie that surely does not disappoint in any way.

An early subtle Ron Howard masterpiece, that is criminally underrated here on IMDb.

9/10

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This is a flick every parent should see. Steve Martin and Mary Steenburgen play embittered parents raising their 3.4 kids, one of which is emotionally disturbed. It centers around two families who live in the same neighborhood.

Also, Rick Moranis was great in this to, as a father of a daughter who was a child prodigy who knew everything, but how to have fun. Both families go through the struggles, hardships, joys, and the good times of raising children. Whether they're rebellious teenagers or 'black sheep'.

The whole birthday party scene was a real scene stealer! And all the characters from both families and this movie's plot were all very realistic! So, next time movie night is planned for your family, rent Parenthood. I recommend this movie for any family to see! And might I add, Ron Howard's best and most superb film he ever made! I give it 5 stars!

This is a wonderful film that takes full advantage of both a great script and an outstanding cast. It shows, with equal measure, the joys and pain of parenting. We see great examples of dysfunction and love. It is sentimental, but not to the point of being unreal.

Steve Martin gives a tremendous performance as a father, who wants to be everything that he feels his father wasn't: loving, caring, and involved in his children's lives in a positive manner. He is torn between his duties as a provider and the need to be there for his children. Mary Steenburgen is wonderful, as always, as a devoted wife and mother. She tries to keep her family on an even keel and to soothe their anxieties, her husband included. She conveys so much with just body language and has a smile that seems to come from her soul. Jason Robards is his usual powerful self, as the patriarch who made himself a success, but at the expense of his family. He recognizes his mistakes and finds a chance to make some amends in his twilight years.

Diana Weist is the single mother, trying to provide for her troubled children, and find some life for herself. She wants to give her kids what they want, but is torn between giving to them and watching them make mistakes. Rick Moranis is the parent who wants their child to succeed, to the point of smothering their childhood. He wants the best for his child, but fails to see that childhood should be as much about play and new experiences, as it is about education. His wife wants the same, but wants their daughter to be a little girl, too. She also wants another child, but feels that she is alone in this area and is losing her husband. Tom Hulce is the irresponsible, youngest sibling, who has run off whenever things have become too tough. Things get tough when you are a parent, and he stays true to form.

The young actors are all tremendously talented and the little ones are quite cute. It is no surprise that these performances are so good, given that the director was a child actor himself. Ron Howard really knows how to bring the best out of young actors, as well as their adult counterparts.

There is so much to savor in this film. There are great laughs and touching moments. There is drama and satire. There is the joy of watching great character actors display their craft. There are the clearly defied roles, with great complexity, that are easy to identify with.

This is a film that all parents should see. Kids should see this, when they are old enough to understand the sacrifices that their parents make for them and why they make the decisions that they do. Parenting: it's the toughest job you'll ever love!

there are movies that entertain... enlighten... challenge... confuse.

parenthood is a movie that will be more and more a classic as YOU move through life. it's a look at family-life and how we do the right things and the wrong things as we move from the "parentED" to the "parentERS". as lead-pastor of a church that is dedicated to serving 19 to 29 year olds, this is one movie that is as much a teaching lesson as it is entertainment.

when one looks to learn, there are many notes to be taken here. equally entertaining, the whole ensemble is stellar as it portrays the inner workings of the buckman family tree.

the 4 children of the patriarch and matriarch have grown and are now dealing with the parenting world first hand. they deal with the issues we all do: workaholism, divorce, "super"parenting, self-promotion, etc. as their circles of life intersect (and they always do...), all the family members come to some conclusions... between over-parenting and under-parenting, there's a place where love resides in all of its splendor and strain. love HAS to win the day... even when those we love do and act they way that troubles us. life is an eXpedition:... where we can struggle through it alone, or in with the support of others... but we're definitely going to have to be moving forward.

"parenthood" reminds us all of the journey we're on. as parents we really cannot live FOR our children... for really, we ALL are children... still learning and making mistakes along the way. we recognize that what we really need in our lives are people who will love us all along the way. we then realize this is what our children need as well.

the movie has so many deeply poignant, yet roll-on-the-floor funny moments.

two of many favorites: when the patriarch (jason robards)talking to (steve martin) realizes that his job as father never ends... "there is no end, you never cross the goal line, spike the ball and do your touchdown dance, never... i'm 64 and larry is 27... and he's still my son, like kevin is your son... you think i want him to get hurt?... he's my son". also when grandma explains life to her joy of a roller-coaster over a merry-go-round... "that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited and so thrilled all together... some didn't like it... they went on the merry-go-round... that just goes around... nothing... i like the roller-coaster... you get more out of it". life is seen as it's best understood... an amusement park that we all are going through. our perspective and our faith are the important factors.

to me, this movie is way more then entertainment... it's a blessing. it will teach... if we are willing to learn.

enjoy... and take good notes, ron

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.