History Film / Parenthood

** After Taylor vomits on Gil and Karen asks why he's just standing there rather than cleaning up, he responds by saying [Film/TheExorcist "[I'm] waiting for her head to spin around"].

* NiceGuy: Tod shows himself as this, proving to be a decent father and husband to Julie and being the only character to get through to Gary and cheer him up. Despite her initial dislike, Helen grows to like him.

--->'''Frank''': Friends slow down, they even stop!

-->'''Todd''': You need a license to buy a dog, or drive a car. Hell, you need a license to catch a fish! But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.

* SmarterThanYouLook: Grandma is dismissed as a senile old woman, but her comments make it clear that she knows exactly what's going on in the dysfunctional family.

* HateSink: Helen's unseen ex who abandoned Gary and Julie and has no interest in a relationship with them (though Gary is clearly the one worst affected by this) In a film where almost every major character and parent is given [[HiddenDepths sympathetic qualities]], he stands out as nothing more than a neglectful, selfish jerkass who Gary, Julie and Helen are better off without.

* BlatantLies: Pretty much everything that comes out of Larry's mouth.

** Gil. Hardly a scene passes where he doesn't have an incredibly dry and caustic sarcastic remark. Of course, since he's played by Creator/SteveMartin, it would be weird if he wasn't.

* ShoutOut: Gil's ImagineSpot of Kevin shooting up the college campus is clearly inspired by the real-life event of Charles Whitman shooting up the University of Texas from the campus tower in 1966.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Rather than a clichéd redemption arc, Larry never gets his act together and runs out on his son. It's a sad fact of addiction that not every addict gets clean, not even when they have support and incentives.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Rather than a clichéd redemption arc, Larry never gets his act together and runs out on his son.

* BlackSheep: While all the Buckmans are screwed up to some degree Larry definitely fits this trope when compared to his siblings.

* TheGhost: Helen's ex, only seen briefly in a family picture just before it's smashed.

* {{Jerkass}}: Helen's ex, who ditched his wife and kids for another woman. To make matters worse, dialogue indicates he's a loving husband and father to his new wife and children, meaning it isn't a case of him just giving up and deciding that he doesn't want the responsibility of fatherhood anymore, he just genuinely doesn't give a damn about his first two children--Helen implies that it's been very difficult to get any financial support from him as well.

* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: Larry tells his father that he's going off to South America on yet another of his [[GetRichQuickScheme get-rich-quick schemes]], assuring that he'll return if it doesn't pan out and asking him to look after his son in the meantime. His son, at all of [[WiseBeyondTheirYears four years old]], is savvy enough to bluntly ask his grandfather, "Is he ever coming back?" To which his grandfather just as bluntly answers, "No".

* ParentalSubstitute: Tod starts to take over as a male role model in Gary's life. It's a sign of his maturing.

* UglyGuyHotWife: The nerdy, less-than-handsome Nathan is married to the very attractive Susan. This is highlighted by Karen's surprised reaction to Susan's claim that she and Nathan once had an extremely active sex life.

* FamilyVersusCareer: Karen struggles with the idea of going back to work or staying home to take care of her kids. She mentions that others [[RealWomenDontWearDresses criticize her]] for liking her position as a [[{{Housewife}} homemaker]].

* DeadpanSnarker: Gil. Hardly a scene passes where he doesn't have an incredibly dry and caustic sarcastic remark. Of course, since he's played by Creator/SteveMartin, it would be weird if he wasn't.
** He takes after his father Frank, who is just as clever and abrasive with his quips.

* ParentalFavoritism: Frank is much friendlier and more supportive towards Larry than he is towards Gil or his daughters because he initially mistakes Larry's schemes and pipe dreams for a genuine entrepreneurial spirit. He eventually sees through Larry's BS and realizes that he's made a mistake in favoring him over his more responsible children.

* AbusiveParents: Revealing some of his HiddenDepths, Tod tells Helen about how his father used to ''flick lit cigarettes'' at his head.
-->'''Tod:''' (''imitating his father'') "Hey asshole, get up and make me breakfast."

* AmbiguousEnding: It's never made clear whether or not Kevin wound up in special education. Whether he's learning to get a handle on his emotions on his own, or special education truly gave him the environment he needed, all you can tell he's happy where he is, and that he's found his passion in baseball.

--> '''Cool''': "My dad's going away."
--> '''Frank''': "[[BluntYes Yes]]".
--> '''Cool''': "He's leaving right away."
--> '''Frank''': "[[BluntYes Yes]]".
--> '''Cool''': "Is he ever coming back?"
--> '''Frank''': "[[BluntNo No.]]"

* BaitAndSwitch: The movie ends with a woman giving birth. Given the two pregnancies mentioned--Karen and Julie--and that Susan has expressed a desire for another child, it's reasonable it's one of them. Only for it to be Helen, who not only wasn't pregnant, but whose new relationship was still in the beginning stages.

* BigShutUp: Frank delivers one to Larry when the latter complains about losing his money in a lost bet over a basketball game. [[NeverMyFault He blames a young rookie player who delivers the shot that cost his win instead of accepting that he shouldn't have been gambling in the first plaxe.]]

* EmoTeen: Garry is incredibly reserved, antisocial and moody. Though given what he's been through, it's hard to blame him. His mood improves after both Helen and Tod talk to him about it all.

* {{Jerkass}}: Helen's ex, who ditched his wife and kids for another woman. To make matters worse, dialogue indicates he's a loving husband and father to his new wife and children, meaning it isn't a case of him of just giving up and deciding that he doesn't want the responsibility of fatherhood anymore, he just genuinely doesn't give a damn about his first two children--Helen implies that it's been very difficult to get any financial support from him as well.
** Lou, an overcompetitive father who attends the little league games. He's always berating Gil whenever the team does badly, making him even more stressed out than he already is. And he enables Matt's own competitive streak.

* KindheartedSimpleton: Tod, in spite of his air headed personality and allegedly crappy childhood, is a pretty pleasant and laid back teen. The ending implies that, despite Helen's predictions, he's become a responsible husband and parent.

* LonersAreFreaks: Helen fears Garry may be this. His father ignores him, and in his spare time, he usually walks out of the house carrying a mysterious paper bag, without interacting with anyone. [[spoiler: After Garry trashes his father's office, Helen tears up his room, and finds the bag contains pornography, which Tod assures her is normal for a kid his age to be interested in]].

* NeverMyFault: When Larry finds himself tens of thousands in debt to mafia-connected bookies after betting on a basketball game, he blames a basketball player for his situation rather than the fact that he's a degenerate gambler. He has similar excuses for why none of his hare-brained [[GetRichQuickScheme get-rich-quick schemes]] ever panned out.

* ParentalFavoritism: Frank is much friendlier and supportive towards Larry than he is towards Gil or his daughters, because he initially mistakes Larry's schemes and pipe dreams for a genuine entrepreneurial spirit. He eventually sees through Larry's BS and realizes that he's made a mistake in favoring him over his more responsible children.
** A far more extreme case of this Helen's ex-husband, who loves and cares for the children that he has with his current wife but prefers to live his life as though Garry and Julie, his two children from his previous marriage to Helen, don't even exist.
* ParentalNeglect: By his own admission, Frank was a lousy father who saw his children as something of a burden and often ignored them (leaving Gil with ushers at ball games, etc). However, he always provided for them, so it was a case of being emotionally distant and unavailable rather than any kind of criminal neglect.

* PointyHairedBoss: Gil's wormy boss, Dave. The twerp could care less about the work Gil has put into the firm. And favors Gil's cutthroat co-worker Phil, for prioritizing work over his family.

* TheUnfavorite: Frank and the Buchman siblings polar opposite reactions to Larry showing up imply that they were all this in comparison to him. Ironically, Larry is a ne'er do well screwup while the remaining siblings, despite their own problems, are relatively successful and functional adults. Frank finally realizes his error when he not only notes this, but that Larry will probably never get his act together.

* TranquilFury: When Helen inadvertently ends up with the pictures of Tod and Julie having sex, she remains very, ''very'' calm when Julie asks her about them, and is more sarcastic than anything else. It's only when Julie makes a comment about Helen's own sex life ("I just thought someone in this house should be having sex...without something that needs ''batteries''") that she completely loses it.
* UglyGuyHotWife: The nerdy, less than handsome Nathan is married to the very attractive Susan. This is highlighted by Karen's surprised reaction to Susan's claim that she and Nathan once had an extremely active sex life.

* ADateWithRosiePalms:
** Gil mistakes Helen's vibrator for a flashlight during a power outage.
** Tod has a talk with Gary about [[SexualEuphemism "slappin' the salami"]], and reassures him that it's perfectly normal behavior.

-->'''Karen:''' That was an [[ADateWithRosiePalms electrical ear cleaner]].

* AmbiguousEnding: It's never made clear whether or not Kevin wound up in special education. Whether he's learning to get a handle on his emotions on his own, or special education truky gave him the environment he needed, all you can tell he's happy where he is, and that he's found his passion in baseball.

* {{Jerkass}}: Helen's ex, who ditched his wife and kids for another woman. To make matters worse, dialogue indicates he's a loving husband and father to his new wife and children, meaning it isn't a case of him of just up and deciding that he doesn't want the responsibility of fatherhood anymore, he just genuinely doesn't give a damn about his first two children--Helen implies that it's been very difficult to get any financial support from him as well.

* NeverMyFault: When Larry finds himself tens of thousands in debt to mafia-connected bookies after betting on a basketball game, he blames a basketball player for his situation rather than the fact that he's a degenerate gambler. He has similar excuses for why none of his hare-brained [[GetRichQuickScheme get-rich-quick schemes]] never panned out.

* NeverMyFault: When Larry finds himself tens of thousands in debt to mafia-connected bookies after betting on a basketball game, he blames a basketball player for his situation rather than the fact that he's a degenerate gambler. He has similar excuses for why none of his hare-brained GetRichQuickSchemes never panned out.

* ParentalFavoritism: Frank is much friendlier and supportive towards Larry than he is towards Gil or his daughters, because he initially mistakes Larry's schemes for a genuine entrepreneurial spirit. He eventually sees through Larry's BS and realizes that he's made a mistake in favoring him over his more responsible children.
* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: Larry tells his father that he's going off to South America on yet another of his GetRichQuickSchemes, assuring that he'll return if it doesn't pan out and asking him to look after his son in the meantime. His son, at all of [[WiseBeyondTheirYears four years old]], is savvy enough to bluntly ask his grandfather, "Is he ever coming back?" To which his grandfather just as bluntly answers, "No".

* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: Larry tells his father that he's going off to South America on yet another of his "get rich quick" schemes, assuring that he'll return if it doesn't pan out and asking him to look after his son in the meantime. His son, at all of [[WiseBeyondTheirYears four years old]], is savvy enough to bluntly ask his grandfather, "Is he ever coming back?" To which his grandfather just as bluntly answers, "No".