PARENTHOOD
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1989 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: Several stories about styles of
parenting are a single story. Because each story is on
different approaches to raising children, the whole is better
than the sum of its parts. Diane Wiest gives a stand-out
performance. Rating: +3.
If one had to compare PARENTHOOD to another film, one would have to say that at least in structure it resembles HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. Like that film, it is really many stories about one extended family. As such it can tell several parallel stories at the same time. Where it differs is that each of the stories examines different aspects of one phenomenon, parenthood. Also the individual characters here are a little more sympathetic and better characters from the point of view of storytelling. One cares more what happens to these people. Each of the individual stories is decent but the whole is considerably more than the sum of its parts and each story has bearing on the others. In one plotline a parent seems not to use enough discipline, while another warns against the discipline approach. The result is a mosaic that views parenthood from many different angles and approaches and at times even comes near to restoring something that has been missing from film: some powerful drama.
The patriarch of the family is Frank, played by Jason Robards, who is justifiably plagued by guilt over the lack of attention he have his children and is working it out by spoiling his wild son Larry (played by Tom Hulce). Frank's oldest son is Gil (played by top-billed Steve Martin). Gil appears to be the most stable and successful of Frank's children but his career is souring and his eight-year-old seems to have emotional problems. Frank's son Nathan (played by Rick Moranis) has an intensive program to turn his three-year-old into an adult genius by the time she is four. But the most compelling story is of Frank's daughter Helen (played by Diane Wiest) whose life is a shambles and a desperate struggle to raise her two wild children.
While at times the writing is excellent, director Ron Howard seems to feel the presence of Steve Martin requires an occasional timeout for Martin's brand of physical comedy. He also throws in some happier moments that verge on being saccharine. Their effect is to betray some of the more serious drama.
Perhaps PARENTHOOD comes up short when compared to an ORDINARY PEOPLE, but with most Hollywood output geared to a teenage market, we have to be grateful for the films that are engaging on an adult level. I rate it a +3 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
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