Dad (1989)

the audience applauded

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Gary Goldberg's Dad only got Oscar recognition with a nomination for makeup. Surely deserved in the way Jack Lemmon was transformed into a henpecked old codger. But surely Lemmon and Ted Danson playing his son merited some Oscar consideration in 1989. So does Olympia Dukakis playing the mother.Dad is a wonderful study of the issues in being a senior citizen and now that I am one can appreciate more now than in 1989 when it first came out. From the first you see that it's Dukakis wearing the pants in the family as they go grocery shopping. But when Olympia has a heart attack in the supermarket, Lemmon is kind of left to his own devices.The children, Kathy Baker and Kevin Spacey, help to some degree. But it's there third brother who works for an investment firm who really pitches in. Ted Danson is a kind of Gordon Gekko of the West Coast, but as he pitches in and helps the two really connect and reestablish a relationship. I did love the scene where Lemmon just sits in on a board meeting comprehending more than Danson realizes about what he does for a living.Ever since Lemmon retired from Lockheed years it's Dukakis who has become the dominant one. No longer earning and kind of under foot he becomes just an appendage. She treats him like a child.Soon enough the roles are reversed. She comes home and he's diagnosed with cancer. The family then goes into crisis mode.Dad has a nice constructed story with very well developed characters with the exception of Kevin Spacey who is given little to do with his role. Ethan Hawke is also in the film as Danson's son who has always had a great relationship with his grandfather. Jack Lemmon was 66 when he made the film. But with makeup he looks more 86 and really makes you believe it in his performance. A whole lot like his buddy Walter Matthau when he starred in Kotch.Dad is a wonderful film for the family about a family named Tremont.

When l watched this movie in 1994 not entirely l didn't realize that Spielberg was the film's producer...but yesterday l decided to watch it again on DVD thinking in Jack Lemmon's character and hoping good things to come,suddenly l saw Spielberg as producer...oh my God once more this manipulative person was involved on movie...l saw the movie but a foot behind....and once again he does!! as said someone here at IMDb about the movie "Agressivelly Kinder" it's says for itself....is must make a movie...not kindly fantasy!!!...happy for Lemmon and Danson but sorry for the movie...apart from that the movie is watchable!!Resume:First watch: 1994 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7

First time I have watched this one and I was very moved. Never heard of this movie? Glad I stumbled across it. I love Jack Lemmon. Thought I had seen almost everything he has done? Ted Danson was terrific in this movie. I was really impressed with Ted's versatility, drama, comedy and real emotions. Great flick. Brought back many memories. Almost a mirror image of the last days I spent with my dad, especially the "hug" scene. In that generation we "quietly" showed our love for our parents and siblings. Really sad that folks wait so long to enjoy their families. I could really relate to this movie. They don't make em like Jack anymore. Really do miss him.

This movie hits, it hits very hard. No one is let off easy in this film about an old man (played to perfection by Jack Lemmon) who has his wife do everything for him. BUt his wife has a heart attack and is put in the hospital. His son (Ted Danson) has to return home to take care of his father. What comes from there is an adventure that will warm you heart as fast as it will break it. Jack Lemmon is very believeable as the father that you will believe that he actually is 85 years old and Ten Danson has never been better in a film. This film devlves into hard topics such as divorce, marraige and family relationships and none of these subjects are delt with lightly and is sure to bring a tear to the eye of everyone whether you can realte to these characters or not.