Parenthood (1989)

 Parenthood (1989)

Ron Howard truly matured as a film director with his 1989 offering, Parenthood. He has seen critical and financial success previously with Splash and Cocoon, but he took a complex theme and created a story entirely relatable. Not necessarily for me, but for all the middle-class parents out there. Whether it’s 1989 or 2021, parenting is an important and complex issue. The movie made me understand the nuances of parenting. As the ancient matriarch of the family compared with her intelligent rollercoaster quip, parenting is like a rollercoaster as it has its ups and downs. I am sure my parents would find that a fair assessment based on my childhood. The film may run long and felt leisurely paced at times, Howard got to the heart of the matter by creating a relatable family. Even though the film is more dramatic than comedic, there are some moments of hilarious comedy that ensues. When Steve Martin puts on the cowboy act? Gold!

The heart of the film came from the right place. Correct me if I am wrong, but screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel had fifteen kids between them, so they certainly understood the challenges of parenting. Howard, who comes from a lineage of recognizable movie faces (father-Rance, brother-Clint, and daughter-Bryce), also understands the theme. Which makes them right for the job. Anyone else would mainly focus on the constant punchlines for laughs, which I feel would take away its big heart. At one point or another, I am sure most of the cast went through parenting life. As an outsider, I can understand the difficult feelings associated with parenthood based on my childhood and seeing my friends go through the same routines. The film was a box office success. A television show created in the 90’s was a failure, but another attempt in the late 00’s, early 10’s ran for six seasons. After all, being a parent is universal.

The film shoots straight in terms of telling like how it is with a large family. Gil (Steve Martin) and Karen (Mary Steenburgen) Buckman have three children with another one on the way. Gil is trying to find the delicate balance between work (where he wants to be a partner at the office) and where he can stay home and be a father unlike his own cold-hearted father, Frank (Jason Robards). Along the way, we have encounters with the “black sheep of the family” (Tom Hulce), eccentric family members (ha, Rich Moranis and Dianne Wiest), rebellious teenagers (Joaquin Phoenix, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves), and more. Maybe Gil can learn some life lessons about the people in his life.

The performances are all great. Steve Martin is funny, but also shines in his dramatic scenes. People do not know this, but Martin is a criminally underrated dramatic actor. Dianne Wiest was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. She was great and had some hilarious lines of dialogue, but ultimately sets out to do what is right for her daughter (played by Plimpton). Tom Hulce also deserves a standout. I liked how he was introduced. “And you do not want to lend him any money.” Classic. Really, the entire ensemble was great, and each actor/actress was given a chance to shine.

I will admit I was hesitant about the film because of its theme. I questioned, “Would I get it?” I did. I am not a parent, but still found Parenthood relatable. Critics seemed to agree and rated the movie as one of Howard’s best…even to this day. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Wiest’s performance and the great Randy Newman song. I really liked the film but my only complaints were the film ran slightly long and the pacing was too leisurely from time-to-time. Otherwise, an enjoyable flick!

My Grade: B+