Ordinary People (1980)

Robert Redford made his Oscar-winning directorial debut with this highly acclaimed, poignantly observant drama (based on the novel by Judith Guest) about a well-to-do family's painful adjustment to tragedy. Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland play a seemingly happy couple who lose the older of their two sons to a boating accident; Timothy Hutton plays the surviving teenage son, who blames himself for his brother's death and has attempted suicide to end his pain. They live in a meticulously kept home in an affluent Chicago suburb, never allowing themselves to speak openly of the grief that threatens to tear them apart. Only when the son begins to see a psychiatrist (Judd Hirsch) does the veneer of denial begin to crack, and Ordinary People thenceforth directly examines the broken family ties and the complexity of repressed emotions that have festered under the pretense of coping. Superior performances and an Oscar-winning script by Alvin Sargent make this one of the most uncompromising dramas ever made about the psychology of dysfunctional families. There are moments--particularly related to Mary Tyler Moore's anguished performance as a woman incapable of expressing her deepest emotions--when this film is both intensely involving and heartbreakingly real. No matter how happy and healthy your upbringing was, there's something in this excellent film that everyone can relate to. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

Excellent movie still!!!

whenever I am asked what is my favortie movie I would always answer "Ordinary People".....for years no one could find it. Even my friend that can find anything couldn't find it...I am so glad you had it.
this is a great movie about FAMILY and how they deal or in the case of mom do not deal with tragic life moments. Rated R back in the '80's would probably get a PG13 today.
disturbing on some levels if you have been through or are going through similar situtations April 20, 2008

Extraordinary Performances

Every family isn't perfect, and has its issues. Some families have scars and pain that threaten to destroy them, like the family in this film: three ordinary people.

I had never seen Ordinary People until recently. I was a teen when it appeared in movie theaters. The film got Academy Awards for Director (Robert Redford, his first directing venture), Adapted Screenplay (Alvin Sargent), and Supporting Actor (Timothy Hutton). Mary Tyler Moore was nominated as Best Actress for her very solid performance as the complex and flawed Beth Jarrett. Judd Hirsch got a nod for Supporting Actor.

What strikes me about this film is that it is brimming over with tension.
Wife and mother Beth maintains her well adjusted appearance at all costs, even if it means alienating her immediate family. She has swept her pain and grief under the rug. Wound up very tightly like a perfect bow on a gift, she is chiefly concerned with keeping up appearances and a life that seems normal and content. She shuns the truth and emotions. Vacations and golf help her stay numb and distracted. Her husband Calvin knows that things are not right, but will not admit it to himself. He is in denial about his family, and about how he truly feels.
The film's core is teenaged son Conrad; he is eaten up by his massive guilt over a family tragedy. Normally it should be the best time of his life. But he is a walking open sore, a raw nerve. Beth and Conrad are both repressed in many ways. She keeps a frosty distance from him, not even showing her child affection of any kind. He loses the friendship of his best buddy in school because of his angst and antisocial tendencies. Ironically, a good friend is the one thing that Conrad desperately needs at the moment, although he doesn't realize it. He refuses to reach out to others to help him endure the immense pain and conflict. There is heavy dysfunction in this family.

Every performance is exceptional among the four main characters. But I believe the most interesting has to be Mary Tyler Moore's role. It is not easy to convey what her character is about. She has to walk a thin line between mother and monster. This is not a big, showy role. Far from it. There are so many subtle qualities and nuances to the character. Everything Moore does is spot on: body language, posture, expressions. It must have been a real challenge for this actress, after years of playing perky Mary Richards in a sitcom on TV. She really showed her acting chops here in Ordinary People.

I must confess that throughout this film I felt a growing hatred for the character of Beth. But then I realize that she has gone through hell and just doesn't know how to cope any longer. She is a sad soul, and the worst part is that her life seems so normal from the outside... but inside she has died a bit. And it's damage that can't be undone.

This is such a simple movie but it is so powerful. It's a very realistic portrayal of a family that's crumbling. If you like good drama and haven't seen this, it's well worth viewing. April 15, 2008

Hits close to home

I have always liked this film, ever since I saw it in the theatre in 1980 when it was released. It's painful to watch the scenes between the obedient son and a mother who cannot and will not emote love to her child, who is clearly in need of it. As the parent of a teenage son who is suffering from depression , it's sometimes cathartic to watch this film and try to understand the pain felt by Conrad and the guilt over losing his beloved brother. The tension between mother and son with the neutral father looking on, trying to give love and be available to both of them is acting at its best. March 24, 2008

Scorsese got robbed

Never in my life have I subjected my eyes and brain to anything so disgustingly pretentious as this movie. The acting is okay- a little overdone in my opinion, but acceptable- but no acting could save such a dreary plot. I found myself wishing all the characters would commit suicide in some colorful fashion- that's really the only ending that would have pleased me. I don't see how this movie could appeal to anyone but upper middle class WASPS; to anyone else these people are not ordinary, they are whiny bitches living far more privileged lives than they deserve. I don't mean to downplay the emotions that go along with losing a loved one, but I think that most people are too busy trying to make ends meet to obsess about it as single-mindedly as these people do. Most people might very well get terribly depressed, but I think they would do it with a little more dignity than this contemptible lot. I can't emphasize enough how utterly unlikable these characters were. What's worse, I couldn't even hate them- I only felt scorn. And if you don't care about a character, you can't possibly care about what happens to them. I would give this film 0 stars if I could. January 29, 2008

One of the greatest family dramas ever made

Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" is one of the compelling movies ever made portraying a family's unravelling after the loss of a loved one. The acting is superb. The script is beyond reproach, based on a best-selling novel. This film received several well-deserved Oscars. A true masterpiece! December 6, 2007

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