Des gens comme les autres

I was 16 years old in 1984 when I first saw this movie. I was also clinically depressed and suicidal. I had been on antidepressants for about a year (in the pre-prozac days) and I happened to see this movie on Showtime or HBO - almost by accident. Timothy Hutton perfectly captures what it's like to be depressed as a teenager. And Judd Hirsch and Hutton perfectly capture the patient/therapist relationship. There are also a few perfect little scenes that capture the problems of a family that can't communicate. Especially memorable is the scene where Calvin tells Beth about the shoes he wore to Buck's funeral. This film captures all of the important moments like this that truly demonstrate the problems the family is having. After seeing it, I read the book and I knew that if Conrad could go on, so could I. I watch this movie once every few years. It really means a lot to me.

"Ordinary People" deserved its Oscar. There was such fierce competition in 1980 that winning the award was a real honor. The movie should have shared honors with "Coal Miner's Daughter".

Having said that, the reality of the movie is so heartbreaking and so real that you feel every emotion and understand the characters feelings, whether you liked them or not. Mary Tyler Moore's performance of Beth Jarrett is so powerful that you forget Moore's comedic repertoire and immerse yourself into her persona as a cold, distant wife that can not show emotion for her son. It is disturbing that Beth can not show Conrad love and it breaks your heart when you see the awkwardness as he tries so hard to get any love or recognition from her. Her breakdown scene at the golf course and the realization at the end of the movie that she is incapable of affectionate love are powerful performances.

Donald Sutherland's understated and beautiful performance is brilliant. His making up for Beth's shortcomings as an affectionate human being are so touching. He does all he can to keep the rest of his family together. Why he was not nominated for an Oscar is beyond comprehension.

Timothy Hutton absolutely shines as the troubled Conrad. All you want to do is hug him, love him, after his rejections from his own mother. The torture and pain he is in is portrayed so stunningly. His guilt over the death of his brother and subsequent depression are heartbreaking.

Growing up in suburban America, the film rings many a truth to the insights of what people perceive as a "normal family". The cocktail parties, the school activities, the socialization of Beth and her friends over the recognition of her son do happen in suburban America. Robert Redford recognized every real detail of the facades that people put up and the reality of what happens at home. They are poignantly and chillingly realized.

Definitely one of the most deserved Best Picture Oscars given. Please don't miss this one.

A family in an affluent neighborhood north of Chicago tries to recover after a tragedy. Timothy Hutton plays the troubled son who gets help from a therapist (Judd Hirsch) while Donald Sutherland & Mary Tyler Moore play the seemingly okay parents.

"Ordinary People" (1980) was Robert Redford's debut movie in the director's chair and it was a huge success. The story is two-pronged: It's a coming-of-age drama about the anxious son at home, school, therapy and his relationships with the fairer sex, as well as a marital drama about the parents.

This was Hutton's first theatrical movie, but you wouldn't know that by his powerhouse performance, which is on the level of Brando. It's interesting how simple, realistic drama can be more compelling than some overblown "blockbuster" with an explosion every five minutes.

Winsome Elizabeth McGovern is a highlight as one of the girls the son dates.

On the negative side, the storm sequences are pretty artificial, reminiscent of a TV flick, and the story almost drowns in its unrelenting drama in the last act (I said "almost").

The film runs 2 hours, 4 minutes, and was mostly shot in suburbs north of Chicago, e.g. Lake Forest and Highland Park.

GRADE: B

I might consider putting this movie in my top 10 list of best movies. It's absolutely amazing that for his directorial debut, Robert Redford created such a masterpiece. Now it was not all due to him, as the story was so well-written and the acting is dead on for all the characters. Part of the reason I love it so much might be because I was a psychotherapist before becoming a school teacher (mid-life crisis, you know). And, having worked with dysfunctional families, this movie gets it right time and time again. Therapy is not a miracle cure that takes effect almost immediately (like in GOOD WILL HUNTING) and the parents BOTH have a strong role in keeping the family sickness alive. Donald Sutherland is the enabler who denies there is a problem--even after one son dies by accident and the other attempts suicide. He also cannot face that the family's dysfunction is mostly controlled and maintained by his very disturbed wife, played wonderfully by Mary Tyler Moore. She is not mentally ill but has a very sick personality, as she is cold as ice emotionally and deals with problems through massive amounts of denial as well as stuffing her anger WAY down deep. Timothy Hutton is, despite his being the patient, the healthiest one in the family, as his suicide attempt is a strong cry for help. Finally, Judd Hirsch plays the therapist--and one of the most realistically portrayed therapists on film. He has no miracle cure but tries his best to get Hutton, and later Sutherland, to work hard at uncovering their dysfunction. Again and again and again, the viewer is rewarded by a brutally honest script that is about people who would be real--not Hollywood's idea of "people". The film is neither manipulative nor condescending--this is the way more films SHOULD be.

In addition, as I have watched the film several times, I keep noticing just how perfect the direction was. How wonderfully framed the shots were, how wonderfully the music fit in and how unflinching the movie dealt with pain. In particular, I love the scene with Sutherland at the psychiatrist's office as he talks about his marriage....and his eyes keep looking away and avoiding the doctor as he says how much he loves her. And the great Christmas photo scene--it just screams out "this is real!!". For this to be Robert Redford's directorial debut is absolutely amazing and he surely earned that Best Director Oscar.

FYI--although this movie is rated R, it is only for language. There are a few REALLY CHOICE WORDS used here and there, but otherwise this is a great movie for teens. If filmed today, this would no doubt be a PG-13 film. I am a very conservative parent, and yet I found this to be totally acceptable for my 15 year-old. It's a great film to watch WITH your kids and discuss what you see.

I cannot recommend a film more highly.

Ordinary People is an extraordinary motion picture for five reasons. The outstanding direction of Robert Redford, and the brilliant acting of Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland, Timothy Hutton and Judd Hirsch.

This movie is set in suburban Chicago. The family is an upper-middle class foursome, the parents and their two sons. The eldest son, Buck, is killed in a boating accident. The other son, Conrad, survives but is riddled with guilt. His mother, Beth, who idolized her deceased first born, is cold with her surviving son. She looks at him and is reminded of the pain. Instead of nurturing her surviving child she distances herself from him. Conrad attempts suicide and spends time in a mental hospital. Calvin, the understanding father, is torn between his wife and son.

Dr. Berger, a psychiatrist, is hired by the family to help the troubled young man. The scenes between Hutton and Hirsch are amongst the best in the movie. He helps Conrad understand his mother's pain and shortcomings and to stand on his own. Conrad tries to keep his family together and realizes, almost with relief, that the family's problems are caused by Beth's "burying all her love with Buck".

This is a fascinating motion picture. The direction and the performances are superb. It is an intelligent, moving and honest examination about a family torn by grief and pain. Don't miss it!