“Parenthood” is a wonderfully entertaining film that pokes at your funny bone, as well as pulls at your heart strings.

The storyline quite accurately depicts the plight of a close knit, extended family whose worst fears about their children, and each other, become realities.

Gil (Steve Martin) lives in fear that if his son is maladjusted as a child he will grow up to be some type of maniac killer. On the other hand, if he is raised correctly he will be an incredible asset to the whole world.

As a result, Gil makes it his neurotic obsession to see that his son’s life is always happy and stress free.

Gil’s quest causes him to take on the position of Little League coach, in addition to portraying a cowboy who rides off into the neighborhood on a show horse for his son’s birthday party.

The rest of Gil’s family is no better. His divorced sister finds herself with a curious, hermit son and a recently married teenage daughter and her high school aged husband.

All other members of Gil’s family have some sort of dilemma. As a result of the tremendous array of problems, it is easy for the viewers to find at least one situation in their lives that they can relate to the movie.

The many characters and problems make the storyline a little choppy from time to time. However, the laughs, intense emotions, pure reality and fantastic surprise ending make this movie a must. Seeing “Parenthood” was both time and money well spent.