Review of Ordinary People (1980) by Kellus S — 19 Dec 2009

Plunging into the deep end of human nature, Robert Redford bravely captures the complications of familial relationships in this, his directorial debut. It's heart wrenching to watch the downward spiral and breakdown of communication between mother Beth and son Conrad.

Timothy Hutton's guilt drenched performance as Conrad is well worthy of its Oscar, win while Mary Tyler Moore's icy portrayal of a proud natured mother unable to come to terms with her new family dynamic is like watching a car wreck - we want to look away, but can't.

And even though we may not agree with her behavior, we empathize with it. In Beth, we have a glass doll that is being held together by the weakest of glues, ready to shatter at any minute. And the glue holding everything together is father/husband Calvin, played understatedly by Donald Sutherland.

All three lead performances are top notch and it's clear the actors have respect for the characters they're representing. On the flip side, 'Ordinary People' feels like a TV movie, lacking cinematic scope, and when compared to other small scale films can be emotionally manipulative.

Still, it's quite engrossing and a movie worth watching, indicating that some fractures can never be mended.