From director Ron Howard (Splash, The Grinch), this is a feel-good family film that may not be suitable for young ages (it's a 15, for the swearing), but a good film for those who can watch. It is basically all about the joys (and otherwise) of bringing up children, i.e. being a parent, literally what the title suggests. Gil Buckman (Golden Globe nominated Steve Martin) and wife Karen (Mary Steenburgen) are having to cope with changes to the life of their autistic child. Gil's sister Helen (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Dianne Wiest) is raising her seemingly disturbed son Garry Buckman-Lampkin (Joaquin Phoenix, as Leaf Phoenix) going through puberty and daughter Julie (Martha Plimpton) who is having a sexual relationship and then marriage to nitwit boyfriend Tod Higgins (Keanu Reeves). Gil's others sister Susan Buckman (Harley Jane Kozak) has a sweet daughter with husband Nathan Huffner (Rick Moranis) who is arrogant and overly obsessed with making the daughter smart. Finally, Gil's youngest sibling brother Larry Buckman (Tom Hulce) has drifted into get rich quick schemes, and had ended up owing money to the mob, or face the consequences. Also starring Jason Robards as Frank Buckman and Jasen Fisher as Kevin Buckman. Many moments of laughs and giggles, but the highlights for me were Martin dressed as a cowboy for a birthday party, and Moranis singing "Close To You" in a classroom to win back his wife. It was nominated the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song for Randy Newman's "I Love To See You Smile". Very good!
Review of Parenthood
