Rating: 
Summary: Will have you alternately laughing and crying!
Review: Steve Martin is top billed in this film and he is excellent but the rest of the cast is just as good. This movie is actually divided into four separate parts-four different branch off's of the same family (the father, his kids and their families)-that allows this fine ensemble to portray all the ups and downs of family life. It is a film that teaches without preaching and it's lesson is clearly understood: in life, you can't have the peaks without the valleys. And because of it every character comes to stark realizations about themselves and their relationships with other people. All the characters, that is, except the one played by Tom Hulce. But even that character is correctly written; it just simply isn't the right time for him to realize.The interactions between the father (Jason Robards) and his two sons (Hulce and Martin) tell us much about all three characters' past, present and future. Unfortunately there isn't any interaction between the father and the two daughters, played by Martha Plimpton and Dianne Wiest, but with so many characters to deal with and so many ties to bind, there simply wasn't time. But the time the writers have is well spent indeed. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have taken a very basic idea and expanded on it in a realistic and original way. It's no wonder that all the characters are tied together so perfectly in the end.Ron Howard has taken that script and directed these tremendous performers to superlative work. Very seldom have any of them been better. Martin shines in an everyman IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE portrayal of the father of three and the second oldest child of the four earlier mentioned. Not since ROXANNE had he given a performance of such range and depth. Dianne Wiest as his older sister won another Oscar nomination and is just as good as she was in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. Martha Plimpton as the next oldest child is fine as a mother torn between her high-tech-education-supporter-husband (Moranis, his best work since LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) and her young childhood deprived daughter. Tom Hulce is the youngest of Jason Robards' four kids and has the toughest role to play. He wasn't given the one-liners the others have. His character isn't likeable. His father obviously favors him at first, which is hard for the rest of the family as well as the audience to understand. But he portrays the character as it should be played-a wanderer with unstoppable dreams who is also to be pitied. Robards' portrayal of the father is one of his best and should have garnered him another Oscar nomination. Through Robards' father character we see how his kids turned out the way they did. And we see him growing and learning as he finds you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Joaquin Phoenix, here billed as Leaf (River's kid brother as Wiest's youngest) and Helen Shaw as Grandma, the matriarch of the family are also excellent. Keanu Reeves (Wiest's son-in-law) and Mary Steenburgen (Martin's wife) round out the cast beautifully. Randy Newman's score is perfect and the song "I Love to See You Smile" is very infectious.Pulling everything together for a production is not an easy thing. When you couple that with the fact that in this movie, comedy and drama are blended together seemlessly, Howard and his cast and crew have created a true treasure. Being a perfect parent is not easy. Being a perfect person is impossible. If you are anything less, see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Family Masterpiece
Review: I can't express how much Parenthood is a great film. It's a beautifully crafted story with comedy and drama all woven together in a perfect movie gem. The film centers around a large family who are just going through the trials and tribulations of life. Kids, sex, jobs, relationships, divorce. You name it. Steve Martin headlines this film that has an undoubtedly brilliant unsemble cast. Dianne Wiest stands out in a hilarious and yet, very real performance. She has trouble adjusting to son in law Keanu Reeves. She has a few classic scenes that are undeniably funny and brilliant. The legendary Jason Robards is on hand as the family patriarch. He is solid and wonderful. The remaining cast is outstanding: Mary Steenburgen, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Joaquin Phoenix, Tom Hulce. You can't go wrong with any of them. Director Ron Howard is a master at putting this film, with different story arcs, together. This is his best work. Steve Martin also shows at how good he can do dramatic parts. If he is deserving of an Oscar, then he should've been recognized for this. Parenthood is a stylish, clever, funny, and teriffic film on family life. See this movie and you'll feel good in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm copying another review as I can't say it any better
Review: What the hell are full screen releases doing by themselves. Even with a small TV I still prefer to watch widescreen. This movie came out in the 90's. Not only is there no reason as to why the Widesceen release is non-existent but there is also no reason why there is not a Dolby 5.1 track available.
When will the studios wake up and realize that more and more people OF EVERY age are buying home theatre systems. WAKE UP!
Here is a copy of a review I agree with:-
It is unacceptable, in 2004, to have any film released on DVD without a widescreen version at least on the other side of the disc. Shameful. This is such a great film. But remember, you're only seeing about 2/3rds of it since the studio chopped off the left and right sides for you.
Totally unacceptable. Please do not buy this disc. Perhaps that will motive the studio to release the film in its original theatrical aspect ratio so we can actually see the whole thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Overpriced, no-frills DVD of a wonderful movie
Review: This is a wonderful, heartwarming film that always manages to make me laugh AND cry....that's why I wanted to own a copy. Unfortunately, the DVD lacks any special features to enhance it (especially frustrating since it's a comparatively expensive one!). How tough would it have been for Ron Howard, Steve Martin or any of the supporting cast to offer a commentary track?That's why I'd recommend it as a rental only. Dianne Wiest and Helen Shaw deliver exceptional performances...Steve Martin's at his most charming...the child actors are superior and it's one of Mary Steenburgen's best performances.
Rating:
Summary: Great all the way 'round: acting, writing, directing
Review: Great ensemble drama/comedy about the modern trials/tribulations of family life. The cast is large, but excellent, so nobody is forced to carry the movie. A mixture of old pros (Steve Martin, Diane Wiest, Jason Robards) and newcomers (Joaquin Phoenix and a perfectly cast Keanu Reeves) Even though I own the video, if I see this movie when I'm channel surfing, I always have to stop and watch at least a part of it. This movie has some great,all time favorite scenes in it. The hilarious birthday party scene where Steve Martin is forced to entertain his son and his friends because a stripper is mistakenly sent to his house instead of a clown. A great scene with Keanu Reeves and Diane Wiest where the Keanu Reeves character is explaning to Diane Wiest what is wrong with her son. Reeve's line "That is one messed up little dude" always cracks me up. I think my favorite scene is the one in which the Jason Robards character is having a serious talk with the Steve Martin character about the nature of parenthood. I'm paraphrasing here, but "You never get to spike the ball in the end zone. As long as you're alive, you are still a father, and your kids are still are your kids." The Jason Robards character says it in a sad way, but it's the truth, isn't it?
Rating:
Summary: "No widescreen", "NO SALE"!!!!!
Review: This is such a good film that ranks in the top five of Steve Martin films, with such a great supporting cast and a truly original and funny screenplay for them to work with, it just seems a shame that we the consumer had to wait more than a decade for a "Pan-Scan" DVD release of this great family film, I'm sure alot of people would agree with me that it's like watching 1/2 of the original movie. I hope the distributer of this DVD gets copies of all these reviews and then thinks twice about the next movie he "butchers" by releasing it in a "Pan-Scan" format on a DVD because he just lost a lot of sales due to the lack of a widescreen version of this DVD and "I am sad to say I'm one of those lost sales".
Rating:
Summary: Love it at any age!
Review: This film came out when I was still in High School. I absolutely loved it then. Now, as a parent, it make's me cry and laugh even harder. My parent's even love it from both parental and grandparent views. It has passed the generation and the evolution of one's self, test. I give it 5 stars for sure!
Rating:
Summary: Why screw up such a great movie with a pan/scan DVD?
Review: It is unacceptable, in 2004, to have any film released on DVD without a widescreen version at least on the other side of the disc. Shameful. This is such a great film. But remember, you're only seeing about 2/3rds of it since the studio chopped off the left and right sides for you.
Totally unacceptable. Please do not buy this disc. Perhaps that will motive the studio to release the film in its original theatrical aspect ratio so we can actually see the whole thing.
Rating:
Summary: Flawless film, comic, touching, endearing, and real
Review: This is a great film. Keanu Reeves is fabulous as is everyone in the cast. Just so nicely done. Parenthood and choices and pressures and not having the answer and what to do with family... All rolled up into one great film. Don't miss this
Rating: 
Summary: Who couldn't relate?!
Review: Parenthood is a funny, touching film. I'm not a big Steve Martin fan but he does a wonderful job in this movie, capturing the loving family man who finds himself dealing with issues relating to work and family. Actually, all the actors do a great job in portraying their roles. Even if you are not from a large family you can find something to relate to, since the focus is on the variety of personalities and issues that can come up in anyone's life.
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