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Summary: The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son. (imdb)
Far above average, far below great. I liked the main character, but when the movie focused on the family it just felt off, and a little stereotypical. This is from 1980 though, so I guess these cliches were just being born.
Wonderfully acted. Timothy Hutton perfectly nails that confused, depressed teenager vibe. EDIT: Revisiting it, I was surprised by some the beauty of this film, its best scenes being harsh and uncomfortable, but most of all, rooted in reality. A gem of a film. (two times)
I liked this movie a lot. It got a little bit ‘Hollywood’ at points, but it had enough truth and heart behind it to make it credible. I liked that it didn’t really reveal the true plot of the film until at least 15 minutes in. Robert Redford’s direction was great. The performances were all good too. Overall, I thought the film tackled the subject of death and grief really well. I might’ve preferred it to be a little more raw, but that’s just me.
The story of a "normal", upper-middle class family dealing with the effects of losing one of their own. Sutherland never seems to give a bad performance, and he is great here as the affable peacemaker of the family. Moore plays way against type as the ice queen beholden to social mores and uninterested in expressing how she really feels about her remaining family. Hutton is outstanding as the guilt-ridden brother who has lost his way in the world. The Christmas tree scene is as real as it gets.
In spite of myself I rather enjoyed this. Yes its a bit simplistic, it nears being Oscar-bait at times and I can understand people's complaints about it being sappy (though my only complaint in this regard is that Pachelbel's Canon was used so damn much), but I was surprised that the film still managed to have some thorns to it, and I found the film to be for the most part both emotionally engaging and cathartic.
Ordinary People is a good movie that does not quite stand the test of time and surely does not deserve the best picture Oscar it has. It's a family drama that profiles a young boy who is emotionally distressed over the death of his older brother. It basically, the whole way through, is about the tension he has with his mother, but it always seems unrealistic and rather sappy.
Mary Tyler Moore is the stand-out in this family drama, though the entire cast is great. Moore plays the non-affectionate mother in the family that recently had one of their two sons die, and the other one attempt suicide. It is a good family drama that analyzes all of their problems effectively, even if the son (Hutton's Oscar winning role) is the primary focus. A bit melodramatic, though that doesn't bother me.
It's pretty sorrowful, but without Robert Redford's directing and the lead performance from the young Timothy Hutton, Ordinary people wouldn't be the same film it still is, an Oscar-worthy drama.
Known as That Movie That Beat Raging Bell for Best Picture (What the Fuck), but it's a pretty good movie in its own right. The acting is damn good, especially Moore, who is thoroughly convincing as the loveless mother. The material is a bit simplistic, but the intensity and earnestness of the film overcomes this for the most part.