---
title: "Parenthood: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/parenthood/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/parenthood"
critics_score: 76
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Parenthood (1989): what the critics said

Critics' score 76 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics find Parenthood an affectionate, perceptive family comedy, with praise centred on its ensemble and its attention to different generations within an extended family. The humour benefits from a bittersweet sense of how relatives support and frustrate one another. Ron Howard’s handling of the many storylines earns approval, while the Los Angeles Times singles out Dianne Wiest’s spirited performance and Empire welcomes the scope Steve Martin has to show his acting talents.

The reservations concern consistency and sentiment rather than the family portrait itself. Empire and the Los Angeles Times find the ending too sentimental or broad, though other reviews see the warmth as well judged. Time Out offers a more qualified response, praising the opening and one-liners but finding the comedy uneven. The balance remains favourable, with the less enthusiastic assessments questioning how reliably the jokes and emotion work.

## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson

Rating 3.5/4. 29 April 2007. 

Henderson calls the film a middlebrow masterpiece, despite its screenwriter-like dialogue and conventional sensibilities. He praises its warmly acted, balanced portrayal of family bonds and the ways relatives remain separate from one another.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/parenthood/)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1988. 

The review finds the film ambitious, keenly observed, and often funny. It singles out the film’s broad range of perspectives across an extended family as its masterstroke.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1988/film/reviews/parenthood-2-1117793867/)

## Los Angeles Times — SHEILA BENSON

Fi1m's normalised score 82/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 1989. 

Benson finds the film a witty, perceptive family comedy whose bittersweet realism gives its jokes depth. She praises Dianne Wiest’s spirited character and performance, while faulting the broad ending and a few cheap-shot jokes.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-02-ca-483-story.html)

## Radio Times — John Ferguson

Rating 4/5. 

The critic finds it an affectionate, leisurely comedy that avoids oversentimentality. They praise Ron Howard’s handling of its many storylines and the performances of the ensemble cast.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-n3svqt/parenthood/)

## Empire — Caroline Westbrook

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2012. 

Westbrook finds the film funny and touching, though its ending turns overly slushy. She praises the ensemble performances, especially Steve Martin’s chance to show his acting talents.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/parenthood-review/)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 1989. 

The page is identified as a review of the film, but its text is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be established.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/02/movies/review-film-problems-in-toto-of-being-parents.html)

## Time Out — BC

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review describes the comedy as uneven rather than consistently successful. It praises its terrific opening and very funny one-liners.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/parenthood)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/parenthood.md