Dad

Sharp, successful businessman John (Danson), out of step with his folks, grudgingly comes home to help care for his confused and helpless father Jake (Lemmon) while his indomitable mom Bette (Dukakis) is in hospital. Roles are reversed as son coaxes father from his childlike state, and John's success leads him to reassess his failed relationship with his own teen son (Hawke). Lemmon wrings genuine pathos from his role, as does Dukakis as shrewish, sardonic Bette. It's Danson in sincere mode who makes the film difficult to endure, especially in the later learning, caring and sharing scenes. Eventually, Jake falls foul of the Big C. He's sick! He gets better! He has a relapse! He rallies! This is called milking it. The film does assert there are some things positive thinking won't conquer, like sickness, senility and death. But it smothers any serious intent in cheap homily, modern mythology and sickly sentimentality.