A different way of telling a story

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Film Review: "Ordinary People" (1980)Based on a best-selling novel by Judith Guest, firstly published in 1976, then optioned by producer Ronald L. Schwary with an exclusive "Paramount Pictures" distribution deal, when actor turns to Academy-Award-winning directions by Robert Redford, with an immensely eye for character close-up and details in beat acting, sends his cast into a storm of emotions, where the center-theme between a relentless mother character, icely-cold as bare-to-the-bone, cleanly-sweeped portrayal by actress Mary Tyler Moore (1936-2017), who will not forgive her younger on-screen son Conrad, featuring heart-breaking Acdemy-Awarded constant-beating scene work from 18-year-old actor Timothy Hutton, whose character mentally suffers "The Impeccable" due to an inter-familiar-conviction for an accidently-committed death of the mother's first-born favorited son in a yachting boat trip, skillfully intercut within psychiatrist-chamber session alongside Academy-Award-nominated Judd Hirsch, when the only stability to a fulminate simplistic story-line on a mother preparing to leave the past and family life behind in this "Best Picture" Academy-Award winner, ruling-out visionary late black-and-white cinematic masterworks as medical-drama "The Elephant Man" directed by David Lynch and "Raging Bull" directed by Martin Scorsese, when Robert Redford's brutally-honest picture gets conceived to all-around conventional establishments agreed on March 31st 1981 at the Oscars in its 53rd Edition."Ordinary People" is a tense drama on the human condition, when the only likable character comes along with solidly-life-excepting manner playing supreme actor Donald Sutherland, whose portrayal of a loving father standing by family members in crisis, no-matter-what, does not need any public recognition to an extent that some family conditions are bound, if not to say, must break to be one's solely-full-comitted self in a forever scared lively environment, which is not mend to heal but simply to be comprehended by the person next to you.© 2018 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

How do you survive a tragedy when there is so much anger surrounding it? That is the understanding behind the 1980 movie "Ordinary People". At the central heart of the film, young Conrad is coming to grips with the loss of his older brother when they where on a boat trip. To make matters worse, his guilt and anger over the accident have made things between his parents and him very estranged. Will there be any chance of a reconciliation and/or healing? The movie is a very thought provoking film dealing with the issues of death, loss and healing. It's subject matter at times can be very hard to watch and should be watched with caution. Overall, it is a great film and is worth the time to watch it. Parental Discretion is Highly Advised!!!!

1980's Ordinary People is a masterpiece. The story is about how grief can impact and tear apart a family, so this film is a very hard watch and it will most likely leave the viewer in an emotional state. That being said, this film is powerful because of the themes the movie tackles and because of four heartfelt, emotionally-driven acting performances.Tragedy is something every family deals with. Someone dies, thus turning the world into pieces for families. Many families also have underlying problems that they choose to ignore or they cannot see, but are forced to confront these problems when tragedy strikes as it occurs with this one particular family, the Jarrett family. That is the whole essence of this movie, how these very real characters confront their issues.By 1980, Robert Redford was a full-fledged movie star. He was in such movies like Bonnie and Clyde and The Sting. The time was ripe for Redford to make his directorial debut. I am always hesitant about actors becoming directors, but Redford shows right away that he knows how to direct and bring the best out of his actors. You generally won't get a better directorial debut than what Redford did with this film. He was so good, he deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Director.Based on a book by Judith Guest, this story tackles what it's like to deal with grief. Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), Calvin (Donald Sutherland), and their son Conrad (Timothy Hutton) are grieving after the other son was tragically killed. Conrad is overcome with guilt because he feels like it is his fault his brother was killed, and he is prone to suicide attempts. In order to deal with his grief, he sees a therapist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch). Beth feels indifferent towards Conrad because she preferred his brother more, so it is up to Calvin to try and hold what is left of the family together.This is one of the movies need to be shown in film classes when it comes to acting because every single actor brought their A-game. They really make you believe that these actors are just ordinary people, instead of well-received actors. Mary Tyler Moore, known for her work with The Mary Tyler Show, is perfectly cast. She does a great job masking her feelings behind her suburban, homebody facade. She plays the Betty Crocker type well, but you see the selfishness of her character because of her preference with her older deceased son. Timothy Hutton makes his film debut here and ended up winning an Oscar for his moving portrayal of Conrad. His character is tortured, is filled to the brim with grief and guilt, and is an outcast at school because of his suicide attempt (although he has two "girlfriends" to help him). I liked the Judd Hirsch character, Dr. Berger because of his optimistic views. His portrayal as a psychologist is one of the very few portrayals that showed the profession in a positive light at the time. Finally, Donald Sutherland delivers another winning performance as Calvin. Calvin wants to do and feel the right things, but does so in an awkward manner. Out of all the characters, his character took the saddest turn of the movie because after a lengthy marriage with this wife, he begins to question their love for the first time.Ordinary People is no easy watch. The film starts with an emotional standoff between the three Jarrett family members, and it gets more emotional from there. Alvin Sargent's script, which he adapted so well, tackled the ideas of what it means to love and how grief affects people. Each character is given a purpose in the film, and the chance to question their motives and the motives of others. It's also a movie about change and how it can affect you for the better or for the worst. The acting is a tour-de-force and one of the better acting ensembles of 1980. Robert Redford created a movie that is slow-paced, but emotional, perceptive, and very intelligent. This film is not about actors, but about ordinary people.My Grade: A-

Ordinary People is an ironic title. The main players are far from ordinary, suffering a trauma of the death of the eldest child in a sailing accident. They also are what could be termed middle class, even upper middle class but not ordinary.Ordinary People was the directorial debut of superstar actor Robert Redford who makes a small, intimate, unflashy picture with his main strengths being the acting from its cast.Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) feels guilty about his brother's death because he survived the incident and Buck did not. He attempts to commit suicide which has led to an extended stay in hospital.Returning home he is trying to rebuild his life. His father Cal (Donald Sutherland) is understanding, patient and wants him to continue his recovery by seeing a psychiatrist. His mother Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) loved her eldest son but seems cold and distant when it comes to Conrad. She wants life to carry on as before and for Conrad to get over it. Conrad arranges to see Dr Berger (Judd Hirsch) who helps Conrad and in due course even his father also goes to see Dr Berger as well.At the time the subject matter was not something that was intelligently dealt with in mainstream movies. Now it is a common television of the week subject matter.The film delves into Conrad's psyche. A precocious teenager who is lost. One friend he knew from hospital and who seems to be pulling through later dies. Eventually it is Dr Berger who gets through to him and it is his father's understanding he comes to appreciate.The film also examines Cal and Beth. Parents who have lost a child, nearly lost another and their differing ways in dealing with this. Redford confounds the audience by making the mother brittle and aloof. Tyler-Moore known for comedies pulls out a character that is all too real. She is a strong and determined woman and yet behind it all hiding her pain, putting a brave face to the world and wondering why the others could not do the same. She was nominated for a best actress Oscar.Sutherland failed to be nominated for his perceptive and kind father, he provides the warmth that Conrad needs and he also realises at the end that he and Beth are over.Ordinary People won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director for Redford. It beat the more flashy and controversial Raging Bull which came to be regarded as the best film of the 1980s. Timothy Hutton who had the lion's share of the film won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. A cynical move to shield him from the Best Actor category as the producers knew he would be no match that year from the Robert De Niro avalanche.Ordinary People is an examination of middle class mores and middle class life in crisis in late 1970s/early 1980s America.