Review of Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) by Charles P — 10 Dec 2012

Characters. Characters are essential for a movie like this to work. Without a strong story, this film would not have been able to operate. Thanks to the delicate approach by Robert Benton both on paper and behind the camera, "Kramer vs Kramer" works. This is also thanks to the powerhouse acting by Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, who display some of the best of their abilities in this movie.

When Joanna Kramer decides that she doesn't want to be with Ted anymore, she leaves town and Ted is forced to take care of their son by himself. Over the course of their time together, Ted learns how to be a father and to truly care about the one he loves so much. They eventually grow a strong bond together. When Joanna comes back into the picture she decides that she wants full custody of the child. Ted has to prove how much he loves his son, and that he can be a truly caring individual. Robert Benton's screenplay is great; simple as that. Its real, its close to the heart, and its great.

As I said earlier, the acting is absolutely astounding. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep display the near-peak of their abilities in this film alone. Its really no surprise that both of them won oscars for their performances in this movie. All of the Hollywood cliches go right out the window and what the audience is left with is purely human emotion, characterized flawlessly by two true professionals. Great stuff.

On a side note, its kind of annoying that I had to retype this whole review because it got deleted for some reason. That's why this review is kind of poor, also because I'm a little fatigued. But I will say with confidence that "Kramer vs Kramer" demands to be seen. Its well written story excels the wonderful performances into greatness. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep display amazing chemistry, and both show why they are so amazing. This review might not be the best it can be, but let me just say this. "Kramer vs Kramer" is a wonderful film. Its acting at its finest. Check it out.