10 Best Movies About Parenthood For New Parents in 2023
There’s a lot you can learn about the nuances of parenting by simply watching some best movies for new parents. These movies will allow you to free your mind and avoid stress during the early days of parenthood.
Read Also: 15 Best Baby Memory Books for New Parents
There are some films that talk about parenthood in different ways. Not always positive, but you can relate them to your everyday grinding of parenthood. Here is a selection of our favorite movies about parenthood.
Movies About Parenthood For New Parents
Parenthood (1989)
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard’s “Parenthood” is one of the best movies about parenthood ever. The feel-good comedy movie portrays some pretty bleak visions of parenthood. The film’s story revolves around a dysfunctional Buckman family all dealing with their lives: unfriendly relatives, raising well-rounded children, pressures at work, and learning to be a good parent and spouse.
Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Lowell Ganz (story), Babaloo Mandel (story)
Stars: Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest
IMDB Rating: 7.0
Running Time: 2h 04m
Genres: Comedy, Romantic Comedies, Drama
Juno (2007)
It is one of our favorite teenage pregnancy movies of all time! Juno is a story of a “young upbeat American teenager” who has to take a nine-month detour into adulthood. Faced with an unintended teenage pregnancy, she sets out to find the perfect adoptive couple for her unborn baby.
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Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Diablo Cody
Stars: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
IMDB Rating: 7.5
Running Time: 1h 36m
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Life as We Know It (2010)
No other movies for new parents portray new parenthood like Life as We Know It does. It’s a story of two single adults who become caregivers of a baby girl when their best friends die in an accident. After much debate and arguing, they reluctantly agree to take on the challenge. But the inevitable spit-up and dirty-diaper incidents put a restriction on their lifestyle, and they don’t exactly get along.
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Director: Greg Berlanti
Writers: Ian Deitchman, Kristin Robinson
Stars: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas
IMDB Rating: 6.6
Running Time: 1h 54m
Genres: Comedy, Romantic Comedies, Drama
Knocked Up (2007)
Knocked Up is one of the best comedy movies about parenthood and pregnancy. The movie is directed by veteran TV comedy writer Judd Apatow, who has also directed The 40-Year-Old Virgin. It is the story of 24-year-old entertainment journalist Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) and Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) whose alcohol-fueled hookup resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. Two future parents in their early 20s need to pull off considerable tricks of making them feel ready for parenthood.
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Director: Judd Apatow
Writer: Judd Apatow
Stars: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd
IMDB Rating: 7.0
Running Time: 2h 09m
Genres: Comedy, Romantic Comedies, Drama
Raising Arizona (1987)
Raising Arizona is one of the funniest Coen Brothers movies. It’s a story of an ex-con H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) and an infertile, maternally obsessed ex-cop Ed (Holly Hunter) who hatch a plot to kidnap a quintuplet named Nathan Jr. Then their lives become much more complicated than they anticipated. It’s up there with one of the best comedy movies about parenthood ever.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson
IMDB Rating: 7.4
Running Time: 1h 34m
Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Look Who’s Talking (1989)
Look Who’s Talking is a feel-good single-parent movie. It’s a story of a single, career-minded mother Mollie (Kirstie Alley). After being dumped by her married lover Albert (George Segal), she explores to find the perfect father for her baby. Then she meets James (John Travolta), and things take a new turn.
Director: Amy Heckerling
Writer: Amy Heckerling
Stars: John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Olympia Dukakis
IMDB Rating: 5.8
Running Time: 1h 36m
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
There are movies about parenthood that will remind you of what you once felt and why it’s worth fighting for, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” is one of them. Yes, relationship changes after a baby, but it’s not the end of the world. You can find love again in your old relationship. The movie tells the story of 44-year-old Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) who suddenly became single when he found that his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) has cheated on him. Then with the help of his newfound friend Jacob (Ryan Gosling), he tries to find his groove again.
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Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Stars: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore
IMDB Rating: 7.4
Running Time: 2h 20m
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Baby Mama (2008)
Baby Mama is one of the best movies for expected parents. Successful businesswoman Kate Holbrook (Tina Frey) in her late 30s finally decides to have a kid on her own. She was shocked to discover she is infertile and hires a working-class woman Angie (Amy Poehler) to be her unlikely surrogate. While living under the same roof, the profound personality differences between Kate and Angie come to the fore.
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Director: Michael McCullers
Writer: Michael McCullers
Stars: Michael McCullers Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sigourney Weaver
IMDB Rating: 6.0
Running Time: 1h 39m
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Due Date (2010)
This list of “Best Movies for New Parents” would be incomplete without this classic film. In this iconic comedy movie, Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr), a father-to-be, is forced to ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay from Atlanta, Georgia to Los Angeles. The questions become whether they will survive the terrifying and agonizing trip together.
Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan
IMDB Rating: 6.6
Running Time: 1h 35m
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Friends with Kids (2011)
Friends with Kids portrays the challenges of parenting and relationships. Two friends in their thirties notice the effects of traditional parenthood on their old friends. They figure out that child-rearing and sexual desire don’t seem to co-exist. So, they decide to have a kid together and date other people.
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Director: Jennifer Westfeldt
Writer: Jennifer Westfeldt
Stars: Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph
IMDB Rating: 6.2
Running Time: 1h 47m
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
The above list features some best movies for new parents to watch together. Some other popular movies include Little Fockers, About Time, Hours, The Hangover, Three Men and a Baby, Junior, Baby Boom, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and She’s Having a Baby.
What are your favorite films about parenthood and pregnancy? Let us know your favorite movies for new parents.
