MovieChat Forums > Parenthood (1989) Discussion > Cool?

Cool?

posted 10 years ago by mercury4
3 replies | jump to latest

I thought Larry was a real ass. Seriously, who names their kid Cool? Even if the mother maybe named him Cool, he should give him a real name. Then in the end after Frank finally decides to help Larry and even have him take over his company one day, Larry takes off in the end. Frank knew he wasn't coming back. I never understood why Frank just let him go. I guess he figured Larry would never change and that he was going to raise Cool. I was under the impression that Frank saw his grandson as some kind of redemption or his second chance. Who knows? Maybe Frank ended up renaming him too.

[–] fiatlux-1 10 years ago

I agree completely about the 'Cool' part. Who the hell names their kid that?!
But then, we know that Larry is an asshat PLUS it sounds like the mom was drugged-out trash too.
After all, nutty celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter Apple. APPLE!
Frank Zappa named his children Dweezil & Moon Unit (!!!!).
So I suspect mental illness or drugs or apathy are why and how Cool got his name.

As to why Frank let Larry just leave, what else could he really do? His son was a grown man., he couldn't legally stop him.
He could have refused to care for Cool, but I thought the same as you did: That he finally realized how much of a loser Larry was, that he would never EVER change nor ever return to town, and that he truly didn't give two tin shytes about Cool.
So he did indeed view it as a second chance for both Cool AND himself, as he realized he was a crappy father also.

I agree, I assumed they re-named him too haha. Maybe something that sounded similar, so he wouldn't be too confused, such as 'Drew'.
Or perhaps they even let Cool choose his new name.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] KatrinaW 10 years ago

So he did indeed view it as a second chance for both Cool AND himself, as he realized he was a crappy father also.

I got that impression, too. He seemed to have an epiphany towards the end of the movie, and ended up being a lot less of a grumpy bastard. Look how he treated his wife throughout the movie, dismissing everything she said, pelting her with veiled insults. The end scene with them hugging was nice.

But, I will say Jason Robards played the part perfectly.

Oh, and I vote for re-naming the kid "Cole".

[–] prex3382 10 years ago

While I agree about the name Hollywood is full of people naming their kids dumb names. North and Apple. Even if the parents like the name they should look 10 years down the road and think, Is this name going to get my kid beat up.