At the centre of the storm is Gil (Martin), who manages to keep his sense of humour while maintaining his career, and being a loving husband and parent.

To live up to his idea of what a dad should be, Gil has to sacrifice his career ambitions. This results in his wife, Karen (Steenburgen), counting the pennies and Gil becoming stressed out.

Dianne Wiest plays Helen, Gil's divorced sister, whose family life is anything but perfect.

With a son who hardly talks to her and remains locked in his room, and a pot-smoking daughter whose boyfriend she disapproves of, Helen has her work cut out.

Gil's other sister (Harley Kozak) and her husband (Moranis) spend so much time educating their three-year-old daughter that they lose track of their marriage. To round off the family is Gil's brother Larry, who brings home an illegitimate black son.

Ron Howard teams with Steve Martin and an all-star cast to create an hilarious, touching and unforgettable movie of life's hardest yet most rewarding occupation: Parenthood.

Parenthood is a must watch for anyone who has children. There is something everyone can relate to in Gil's trials and tribulations as a father.

Steve Martin plays the role perfectly with a balance of humour and sensitivity. He stars with a terrific cast of actors who all serve to make this a wonderfully amusing and timeless movie.