User Reviews

"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 searing dysfunctional family drama that holds up very well today.

Living on Chicago's north shore as I do, I can say with authority that this movie completely nails a certain kind of affluent north shore community that exists in Chicago suburbs like Lake Forest, Winnetka, Highland Park, etc., places where people erect hedges and fences not so much to keep people out as to keep family problems and secrets in. Director Robert Redford and writer Alvin Sargent clearly understand their subject matter. And in fact, this film so closely mirrors many of the personal circumstances of my wife and her family (my wife even established a productive relationship with a Jewish therapist who works out of Skokie, no less), that we joke that the film is really about her. Maybe it's my closeness to the subject matter that gives me my appreciation of the movie, but even without that I still think that I'd consider this film to be a superb drama, flawlessly acted.

Speaking of the acting, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton were all recognized with Academy Award nominations (Hutton won) for their work in this film, all deservedly. Moore especially is memorable in her portrayal of a brittle power mom who must constantly hide behind a veneer of icy aloofness for fear that one tiny crack in her facade will send her crumbling to pieces. But two other actors deserve praise as well: Donald Sutherland, as a suffering father who's ill-equipped to deal with his family's problems yet whose heart is in the right place; and Elizabeth McGovern, who brings a sense of normalcy and healthiness into the film like a fresh breeze off Lake Michigan.

There's a lot of talk about whether this film is better than "Raging Bull," which came out the same year and lost the Best Picture Oscar to "Ordinary People," which only goes to show how lame award competitions are when it comes to movies -- how can you possibly compare the two? See them both.

Grade: A

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.

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.

This is a powerful directing debut from Robert Redford, a great family drama that goes every which way but down. By the end, our thoughts have been altered a bit and its a film that leaves you thinking.

Conrad, played brilliantly by Timothy Hutton in an Oscar winning role, is the depressed suicidal son of a couple struggling to cope with their son's drowning death. Conrad of course feels responsible, and has already tried to take his own life once before.

Reluctantly, he begins to see a shrink at the advice of his father. Dr. Berger, also played brilliantly by Judd Hirsch {though there are no slouches in the cast}, helps Conrad through thick and thin. By the end of the movie, the audience truly feels for all characters to some degree.

As has been stated, the acting is magnificent. The story may seem simple but this type of film really doesn't need a heavy plot. Its an excellent look at the problems we all face. When I first saw this at a young age I related completely to Conrad's character. When I saw this tonight, I related more to the adults and could really feel for them a lot more than I remembered. Each character has a unique sense of reality to them. The actors really carry the film, making the characters seem like real people we've known for years.

Unfortunately this movie has received somewhat of a bad reputation over the years as the film that beat Raging Bull in 1980 for the Best Picture and Director Oscars. While both movies are excellent, its sad that one has to be better than the other and people just don't enjoy both movies for what they are. Many people have preconceived opinions about this 'small' film they have not heard of. After all, Raging Bull is an all time classic. Just watch this movie with an open mind, because it really works on every level as a powerful family drama detailing the persona of many different types of people.

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

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!

After the older of two sons dies in a boating accident, the younger son struggles with survivor's guilt and tries to kill himself. Mary Tyler Moore, as the mother, goes into a shell and cares more about keeping up appearances than nurturing her son and husband. All she cares about is her golf game, getting away on vacation, and making sure nobody knows the "horrible" secret of her son seeing a psychiatrist!

Ordinary People is certainly a misnomer because these people are wealthy! They live in the wealthy suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. Vacation at the drop of a hat? Sure no problem. See a psychiatrist? Sure money is no object. Calvin the father turns out to be the true nurturer, and helps Conrad through his struggles and suicide attempt as Calvin realizes that he is on his own with trying to pull his son back from the brink and he will get no support from his wife .

I just rewatched this one recently, and it hasn't aged well although I can't put a finger on exactly why that is. It still rings true on an emotional level and is probably one of the more unfairly forgotten of the Best Picture Oscar winners. If Mary Tyler Moore is embedded in your memory as sweet Mary Richards and Donald Sutherland is equally enshrined there as over-sexed surgeon Hawkeye Pierce, this film will correct that.

I saw Ordinary People when I was very young and had a very difficult time with the storyline.However, even then I think I knew I was watching something simply remarkable. Even after all these years, it's impact has not lessened, which I guess is a mark of an incredible movie. The movie is among the most disturbing I've ever viewed and the performances, at least to me, are among the best. I can't imagine viewing this movie without feeling absolutely drained afterwards and I think I may have been a bit to young to fully appreciate it, but I can't imagine giving this anything but a 10, it was absolutely flawless in it's storytelling.

I do think though, that a certain element of maturity is needed to view this, there are few I know who have not been touched or upset by the story and if one is to young or just not in the right mood to handle the heaviness(as I wasn't at the time),they may not be able to fully appreciate it. I still know people who cannot sit through this and I understand why but I hope this movie will be viewed by many who can handle it, it's impact is fierce, all the performances are incredible and Mary Tyler Moore's performance is among the best of any female lead ever.

Robert Redford won the Best Director Oscar for helming this proficient melodrama about an upper-crust suburban family hit with tragedy: the eldest child, a golden boy, drowned in a freak boating accident, after which his younger brother (who survived the wreck) made a serious attempt at suicide after being overcome with feelings of guilt. Adaptation of Judith Guest's novel is heavy with overripe dialogue that portends to have the ring of truth. Redford seems determined not to let this scenario turn into a dirge, and so adds glimmers of humor, but occasionally he gets too colorful (as when Timothy Hutton, who wins a date with Elizabeth McGovern, smiles and sings "Hallelujah!"--that's cute, but then he continues singing it until the joke loses its freshness). As the parents, Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore are less interesting than the younger players in the cast; Moore, working a convincingly immobile persona, has some of the weakest scenes, and her society maven doesn't end up making emotional or logical sense (particularly at the finish). Judd Hirsch plays one of the those touchy-feely movie psychiatrists who always wake up in the middle of the night for a crisis, though the majority of Hutton's scenes are bracing and natural, and perky McGovern has a sweetness that isn't forced. Handsome film is well-paced, yet it has confusing and/or anticlimactic passages, and the final scenes don't work. Hutton was also awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and the film won as Best Picture. *** from ****

For this to win best picture it must have been a case where Robert Redford called in his friends. Slow is too fast a word to use. Probably one of the worst Best Picture Oscar winners I've ever seen.

As an aspiring screenwriter myself, I envy Alvin Sargent, the mastermind behind the script of the Academy Award winning 1980 drama "Ordinary People." Based on the equally as heartbreaking novel by Judith Guest, "Ordinary People" flawlessly captures all aspects of great cinema. The scenes have the perfect timing; the performances are vividly descriptive and entirely convincing; the direction is efficacious and focused. The filmmaker's never pretend that this movie is easy to watch, but they sure do produce an emotional and mental response from the viewer.

"Ordinary People" launched Timothy Hutton's career, rewarding him with an Oscar. It's too bad his career as an actor seems to be traveling downhill. Although his award was for best actor in a supporting role, he is truly the center of the movie. Hutton plays Conrad Jarrett, the son of Calvin (Donald Sutherland) and Beth (Mary Tyler Moore). The Jarretts are recovering over various recent disasters. They lost their first born son to an accident, for which Conrad blames himself. His grief eventually provokes a failed suicide attempt.

As the movie opens, we meet the family. We never witness Conrad's suicide attempt, the preceding family death, nor do we see anything than happens during his hospital stay. "Ordinary People" knows exactly where to start and what to show. It leaves a great deal to our imagination. It gives us freedom to put ourselves in the character's shoes. This is a realistic portrayal of a crippled family trying to mend with problems.

Several key characters also contribute to the rehabilitation of Conrad. Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch), provides Conrad with psychological guidance; the high school swimming coach (E. Emmet Walsh) understands Conrad's condition, but still doesn't want the swim team to lose his talent; Jeannine (Elizabeth McGovern) befriends the struggling Conrad; Karen (Dinah Manoff) another similarly hospitalized with Conrad, gives him some added confidence.

"Ordinary People" took home Academy Awards for best picture, director, supporting actor, adapted screenplay, Mary Tyler Moore's deserving performance, and earned various other nominations, including the supporting performance by Judd Hirsch. It is clear why the film won so much praise by critics and audiences alike: we can clearly identify with the characters and their situation.

The characters are beautifully written. I cannot remember the last movie I saw that so vividly captures individual lifestyles and personal tragedies. Every character plays an important role in Conrad's life. His father feels his son's suicide attempt is due to his poor parenting. The materialistic mom finds it difficult to contend with difficulties and to forgive her son for what he did to her public image. Conrad's problems evolve into larger, more complex issues of love, compassion, forgiveness, and our personal differences.

The actors really deserve the crown here. If there was even one who did not live up to the great expectations, they would appear obvious and subtract from the film's emotional grasp. Timothy Hutton really portrays his character well. Every emotional aspect feels real, justified, and understood. Mary Tyler Moore portrays the film's potential villain believably as well. She makes is obvious that Beth would rather run from problems instead of dealing with them. After seeing Donald Sutherland in many recent film's that seem rather terse, I formed opinions about his credibility and ability that his performance here proves wrong. He is definitely a gifted actor when dealt good material. In this performance, easily the best of his career, he captures every minuet detail of a father struggling with his past, present, and future.

"Ordinary People" shares much in common with 1999's best picture winner, "American Beauty." That was another great film, but "Ordinary People" contains debatably better material. "American Beauty" looked tragedy in the eye and found respect, mockery, and grace. "Ordinary People" never bestows comic material, however, but it does trace suffering to its root, and finds disorientation, embarrassment, and sorrow. This is not an easy movie to watch, but a challenging, perceptive, tragic story that you are not likely to forget.

This film, without a doubt, is the best dramatic film I have ever seen. It is truly an extraordinary film of humanity. To start out, the film begins in complete silence and gently flows into Pachalbel's "Canon in D". It has become my favorite movie and I can say with 100% certainty that it deserved every Oscar it received. I cannot truly articulate with words what this movie did to me when I first saw it. I had an epiphany-like experience. I was born in 1980 and didn't see this film until shortly after I turned 19. The events portrayed by Timothy Hutton, Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern, Dinah Manoff, and Fredric Lehne are just as powerful and relevant in society today as they were 20 years ago. Timothy Hutton's performance of Conrad Jarrett, an 18 yr-old suffering from depression after the tragic death of his older brother is extraordinary. Being the age Hutton was when he made the film, when I first saw it twenty years later, I related to the emotions on every note. Teenagers are rarely portrayed in film as realistically as in real life. In my opinion, Conrad Jarrett in "Ordinary People" is the best portrayal on film of a teenage boy going through the good times and the bad, but mostly the bad. Timothy Hutton is a truly amazing actor. Mary Tyler Moore also deserved all of the praise and nomination for a role that is literally the opposite of anything she had ever played before. The way she portrayed the cold, cruel, yet emotionally-hidden Beth Jarrett is outstanding. Donald Sutherland and Judd Hirsch also gave performances that made them truly believable as Calvin Jarrett and Dr. Berger. Sutherland should have received an Oscar nomination. Elizabeth McGovern and Dinah Manoff's small character roles as Jeannine Pratt and Karen are just as vivid as in the novel. Jeannine provides the excellent uplift in the story; while Karen provides the semblance of reality that things are not as they seem. Every line and every scene in this film is as detrimental to the overall underlying theme as it is in the novel by Judith Guest. The words "I love you" and "love" have an immense importance in this film. Kudos to Robert Redford, who shows that he is not only an excellent actor, but also a truly excellent director. The color scheme, music scheme, setting in Lake Forest, Illinois and that "perfect" home all provide the exact backdrop to the circumstances going on between these characters and within Conrad himself. This film relies solely on the realistic interaction between "ordinary" people living through "extraordinary" circumstances. This film had an amazing impact on me and I'm sure it will do the same for anyone else who sees it. If you do not leave this film having gained that underlying insight that this film gives, then you did not truly understand the purpose of the film. You don't have to suffer from depression or go through the loss of a loved one to understand the message delivered by this film. It's definitely more than just a "tissue" movie. Truly one of the best films ever made.

A 10 out of 10.

I saw this movie in a very old theatre in Maastricht, Netherlands. I was astonished by the beauty of the plot, the character played by Timothy Hutton and Donald Sutherland. The most impressive thing was at the end. Everybody left the theatre in complete silence. People were touched and had tears in their eyes. This movie moves people. It is a story so close to reality and so well played by the actors. One really hates Mary Tyler-Moore at the end for being a bitch first class, a mother with no feelings for her youngest son. Judd Hirsch is very funny in acting as a psychologist. He plays it so naturally as if he had seen one for several years. In my opinion Robert Redford directed his best movie ever in Ordinary People.

A simply yet beautifully filmed drama that does not over-complicate or over-glorify the issues at hand - the film simply feels real, tackling strong emotions without the production feeling like typical Hollywood kitsch. The film does not seem like a TV melodrama either, with the quality of the acting, if nothing else, taking it to a high level. Donald Sutherland gives off one his career's best, most human performances, whilst Timothy Hutton shines as a youth who blames himself for others' problems but yet still contributes a lot of blame to his mother. Some of the scenes are really well edited too, and in fact there is little that jumps out as being a flaw in the film. Arguably, it touches on a psychological base a bit too much, and perhaps there is a bit too much maudlin music, but there is really little wrong with this film, which is perceptive, touching, and far off being ordinary.

Ordinary People's therapeutic dive into repressed psyches is presented so well that viewers can't help but sympathize with the main characters. The most moving moments are spread throughout the 2nd and 3rd acts. They did make my eyes well with tears, but spreading out the emotion meant I never got the solid blow that I needed to actually make any tears fall. The lack of music also took away from the emotional scenes by failing to amplify the drama. The acting and writing were spot on, but the cinematography was quite dated and often distracting (my first viewing was in 2019). It's a touching movie that's worth a watch, but it still leaves some to be desired.

Robert Redford's debut as a director really is that good. From Judith Guest's novel about an outwardly prosperous American family struggling with the loss of the beloved older son Redford, and screenwriter Alvin Sargent have crafted a beautiful "actor's film". This is not in the sense of a "Glengarry Glenross" where there is a pervasive theatrical sensibility and all is driven by the dialog. Many of the finest touches here are unspoken. It's the best-case scenario for a film directed by an actor (and one of under-rated talent at that). The performances are flawless all around. If top honors are to be awarded they might best go to Moore. Playing against well established type she crafts a superbly observed and all too believable character; a woman who has let her visceral habit of self-protection get so out of control it has utterly crushed her humanity. Hutton (who won an Oscar) and Sutherland are also superb as the the husband and surviving son, the other two legs of the highly unstable familial tripod. Look also for fine supporting work from the likes of James Sikking, Elizabeth McGovern, and M. Emmet Walsh. I confess to being a complete stranger to the milieu of the American preppy class (how "ordinary" are these people? I don't know anyone with a live-in maid.) but the representation of them and their world seemed, to me at least, meticulously realized - right down to maybe the most extensive collection of sweaters ever assembled on screen. Redford's done some good work since but with "Ordinary People" he started off at the top and found there was only one place to go. No matter. He's left us with a truly brave piece of film-making, never making easy choices, and staying true to each and every memorable character to the end.

First time seeing this movie today. A sad but true to life story about tragedy, guilt, the need for forgiveness and the need for understanding. Well written and acting is superb.