Parenthood (film)

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Parenthood
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ron Howard
Screenplay by	Lowell Ganz Babaloo Mandel
Story by	Lowell Ganz Babaloo Mandel Ron Howard
Produced by	Brian Grazer
Starring	Steve Martin Leaf Phoenix Keanu Reeves Tom Hulce Rick Moranis Martha Plimpton Jason Robards Mary Steenburgen Dianne Wiest
Cinematography	Donald McAlpine
Edited by	Daniel P. Hanley Mike Hill
Music by	Randy Newman
Production company	Imagine Entertainment
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	August 2, 1989 (1989-08-02)
Running time	124 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million[1]
Box office	$126 million[2]

Parenthood is a 1989 American family comedy-drama film with an ensemble cast that includes Steve Martin, Tom Hulce, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Joaquin Phoenix (as Leaf Phoenix), Keanu Reeves, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen, and Dianne Wiest.

The film was directed by Ron Howard, who assisted in developing the story with screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Much of it is based on the family and parenting experiences of Howard, Ganz, Mandel, and producer Brian Grazer, who have at least 17 children among the four of them. Principal photography was filmed in and around Orlando, Florida with some scenes filmed at the University of Florida. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Dianne Wiest for Best Supporting Actress and Randy Newman for Best Song for "I Love to See You Smile".

The film was adapted into an NBC television series in 1990 and 2010. While the first series was canceled after one season, the second series ran for six seasons.

Plot[]

Gil Buckman, a St. Louis sales executive, is trying to balance his family and his career. When he finds out that his eldest son, Kevin, has emotional problems and needs therapy and that his two younger children, Taylor and Justin, both have issues as well, he begins to blame himself and questions his abilities as a father. When his wife, Karen, becomes pregnant with their fourth child he is unsure he can handle it.

Gil is also frustrated and fearful that the financial burdens of another child and office politics at work are turning him into the detached workaholic he despised in his own father, Frank. Humbled by family and work issues, Gil opens up to Frank about his doubts as a parent. Frank tells him that he worries too much, and they have a reconciliation of sorts with Frank telling Gil that worry for one's children never ends. Gil is finally able to accept the life he has chosen after his elderly grandmother tells him the story of her first experience riding a roller coaster when she was young and was amazed at all of the different emotions she experienced compared to the merry-go-round which was simple and bland.

Gil's older sister, Helen, is a divorced bank manager whose wealthy dentist ex-husband wants nothing to do with their kids, Garry and Julie, aside from small child support payments, and spends more time with his own second family. Garry, who has just entered puberty, is quiet and withdrawn and likes to be alone in his room with a mysterious paper bag. At first, Helen worries that it contains drugs or alcohol, but later finds it actually contains pornography.

Julie is still in high school but is not interested in her education. She and her boyfriend, Tod Higgins, get married, she becomes pregnant, and Tod moves into Helen's house. Helen asks Tod to talk with Garry believing he would be more comfortable confiding to another male. Tod can reassure Garry that his obsession with girls and sex is normal for a boy his age, to Garry's relief. This also increases Helen's respect for Tod. Eventually, she supports Tod and Julie's relationship to the extent that when Julie wants to break up with Tod, Helen orders her to face her fears and work on their relationship. Helen also starts dating Garry's science teacher, giving Garry a father figure he has long been without.

Gil and Helen's younger sister, Susan, is a middle school teacher married to scientist and researcher Nathan Huffner. They have a precocious daughter, Patty. Susan wants more children, but Nathan is more interested in Patty's cognitive development. Susan lashes out by eating junk food and compromises her diaphragm as a plan to get pregnant against Nathan's wishes. She eventually gets so frustrated that she leaves Nathan, who eventually comes to one of her classes and serenades her to win her back promising her he will try to change. She agrees to move back home.

The youngest, Larry, is the black sheep of the family but is Frank's favorite. Rather than settle into a career, he has drifted through life trying to cash in on get-rich-quick schemes. He has recently shown up along with his biracial son, Cool (the result of a brief affair with a Las Vegas showgirl), asking to borrow money from Frank. It soon becomes apparent that he needs it to pay off gambling debts ($26,000 worth) or he will be killed. Frank is disillusioned but still loves him and tries to help. Frank refuses to bail him out completely but offers to teach him the family business so he can take over for Frank who has to put off retirement to pay off the debt. However, Larry instead suggests another get-rich-quick scheme which involves him going to Chile. Frank agrees to look after Cool knowing that Larry will most likely never return.

The family is reunited at the hospital when Helen gives birth to a daughter. Frank holds Cool. Tod and Julie are together, raising their son. Susan is visibly pregnant. Gil and Karen are now the parents of four.

Cast[]

Release[]

Box office[]

The film opened at #1 in its opening weekend, earning $10 million. It eventually grossed over $100 million domestically and $126 million worldwide.^[2]

Critical reception[]

The film received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a "Certified Fresh" 91% rating, based on 58 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Bolstered by a delightful cast, Parenthood is a funny and thoughtfully crafted look at the best and worst moments of family life that resonates broadly."^[3] On Metacritic, it holds a score of 82 out of 100, based on 17 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim."^[4] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.^[5]

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Dianne Wiest for Best Supporting Actress and Randy Newman for Best Song for "I Love to See You Smile". It was also nominated by the American Film Institute for their 100 Years..100 Laughs series.^[6]

Television adaptations[]

The film was adapted twice to TV: as a 1990 series and again in 2010.

1990 series[]

Parenthood was one of several failed movie-to-TV adaptations in the 1990–91 season, also including Baby Talk on ABC's TGIF (a follow up to Look Who's Talking), Ferris Bueller on NBC and Uncle Buck on CBS.^[7] It ran for 12 episodes and was not renewed for a second season.^[8]

2010 series[]

In April 2009, filming began on a new television adaptation loosely based on the film.^[9] Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia play the parents, joined by Peter Krause, Mae Whitman, Erika Christensen, Dax Shepard, Lauren Graham and Monica Potter.^[10] It ran for six seasons and ended on January 29, 2015.^[11]

References[]

External links[]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Parenthood (film)

• Parenthood at AllMovie
• Parenthood at IMDb
• Parenthood at the TCM Movie Database
• Parenthood at Rotten Tomatoes
• Parenthood at Metacritic
• Parenthood at Box Office Mojo