Movie · 1989 · Comedy, Drama · 2h 4m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 6.0/10 (106.2K ratings)
It could happen to you.
Overview
The story of the Buckman family and friends, attempting to bring up their children. They suffer/enjoy all the events that occur: estranged relatives, the 'black sheep' of the family, the eccentrics, the skeletons in the closet, and the rebellious teenagers.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.0/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.45/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Metacritic: 82
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Ron Howard
Production
Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Cast
Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Rick Moranis, Tom Hulce, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves, Harley Jane Kozak, Joaquin Phoenix, Dennis Dugan, Eileen Ryan, Helen Shaw, Jasen Fisher, Paul Linke, Alisan Porter, Zachary La Voy, Ivyann Schwan, Alex Burrall, Lowell Ganz
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, sprawling family ensemble that balances slapstick, sentiment, and genuine observation about parenthood, marriage, and generational messiness. It’s especially rewarding if you like big-cast comedies that still care about emotional truth beneath the chaos.
Best for
fans of ensemble family comedies
viewers who like bittersweet 80s studio comedy-drama
people interested in parenting, marriage, and intergenerational conflict
audiences who enjoy broad humor mixed with sincere sentiment
Skip if
you want a tightly plotted movie with a single central storyline
you dislike sentimental family comedy
you prefer very modern pacing and style
you are looking for a dark or cynical take on family life
Overview
Parenthood is one of those big, bustling studio comedies that feels more alive than polished. It keeps moving between siblings, spouses, kids, and grandparents, finding humor in the way families repeat the same mistakes while insisting they’re all doing their best. The movie’s charm comes from how specific its messiness feels, even when it’s playing broad.
Worth noting
What makes it endure is the balance: jokes land, but so do the small emotional reversals and the recognition that raising kids is equal parts comedy, panic, and grief. The cast gives it a lived-in warmth, and the film is generous enough to let almost every character have a moment of embarrassment, tenderness, or revelation.
Bottom line
It can be a little overstuffed, and some of the comedy is very much of its era, but that’s also part of the appeal. If you like family movies that are affectionate without being airbrushed, this is an easy recommendation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
#1 gizmo fan (4★) · 1275 likes
there is a scene in this movie where keanu reeves describes joaquin phoenix masturbating as "slapping the salami" to dianne weist
Patrick Willems (3★) · 671 likes
Not enough time is spent discussing the fact that Tom Hulce named his son Cool
Tess (3★) · 609 likes
YOU get a baby! and YOU get a baby! and YOU get a baby! and....
Matt Singer (3.5★) · 449 likes
Steve Martin’s character announces in the first scene that he’s 35 years old — almost five years younger than I am now — and when he said that my soul completely left my body. It turns out Martin was more like 45 when this movie was made, so I feel a little better. But it’s still touch and go, to be honest.
1996 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 59m · R · Curator 7.8/10 (359.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
An ensemble comedy of family performance, generational friction, and heartfelt acceptance.
2003 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 21m · PG-13 · Curator 6.0/10 (51K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A compact family story that turns a holiday gathering into a study of tension, love, and repair.