Review of Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) by Daniel A — 24 Nov 2010

What a pleasure it is to see the defining actor and actress of a generation spar off each other in this moving assessment of the pitfalls of divorce and the battle for child custody.

Kramer vs. Kramer is definitely a product of its time. Divorce and the type of legal battle portrayed here are so commonplace today that the element of shock and poignancy that it held back in the late seventies is almost entirely lost on a modern audience. Thankfully the magnificent performances on display here have not lost any of their impressive power over the years. Dustin Hoffman is at the top of his game as Ted Kramer, the workaholic husband who is forced to raise his son alone when his wife walks out. As is trademark with Hoffman's finer performances, he immerses himself so absolutely in the character that you have no option but to believe every word he says. The relationship between himself and child actor Justin Henry as his young son Billy, is incredibly real. This is of course helped greatly by Henry's startlingly good turn, which earned him the honour of being the youngest Oscar nominee in history. However it really comes down to Hoffman's insurmountable talent as an actor to make you feel for this broken man as he tries to hold his family together; a task well out of his comfort zone.

Naturally we mustn't neglect the unparalleled Meryl Streep, who as Kramer's wife, Joanna, has some memorable scenes herself. Her portrayal is surprisingly stoic and at times lacking in emotion, but this only adds to the power of those scenes when her character does let her emotional guard down, and the result is spectacular. If you're unfamiliar with Streep's body of work then Kramer vs. Kramer is a good place to start, and the best bit is it's not even her best work!

Aside from the performances, Kramer vs. Kramer impresses in several other areas. The Oscar-winning screenplay is well-paced and emotionally charged. Not only do the characters seem real, but also the situations they find themselves in. However I do find myself confused by claims that the script is written specifically not to side with one character over the other. I actually felt it sided quite clearly with Hoffman. His character is shown to overcome virtually all of his faults through an irresistible determination and great love for his son. In comparison Streep's Joanna is depicted in a more negative light, gallivanting across the States for entirely selfish reasons, and then returning to reclaim the son she has neglected for more than a year. Not that this detracts from the film, it actually helps it, as the concluding scene would not be as powerful if we hadn't been conditioned to root for Hoffman from the start.

As such Kramer vs. Kramer is an all-round solid film. Performances, screenplay and Robert Benton's sensitive direction are universally good. The score is perhaps a noticeably weak point in comparison but this is a minor issue. Similarly while it might have lost the social punch it once held, it remains a great movie which showcases to their best, two of the finest actors Hollywood has ever known.