Devastated by the loss of their older son, Calvin (Donald Sutherland) and Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), a well-to-do suburban couple, are trying to rebuild their lives after their younger son, Conrad (Timothy Hutton), attempts suicide. While Beth, who always favored the elder son, retreats into an icy, emotionless shell, Calvin tries to draw Conrad back into the family and into life as a teenager. Conrad sings in the choir and returns to the swim team, but both his brother's death and his own experiences traumatize him. Conrad reluctantly begins therapy sessions with Berger (Judd Hirsch), which allow him some respite from the unbearable grief and guilt he carries with him. As Conrad makes strides, Calvin realizes that he no longer knows his wife and is both saddened and angered by how seemingly emotionless she has become. A classic portrait of family life in the face of tragedy, Robert Redford's award-winning directorial debut is moving and thought provoking. Based on the novel by Judith Guest, the film features the debuts of Timothy Hutton and Elizabeth McGovern.
Donald Sutherland (Calvin Jarrett); Mary Tyler Moore (Beth Jarrett); Judd Hirsch (Dr. Tyrone C. Berger); Timothy Hutton (Conrad Jarrett); M. Emmet Walsh (Coach Salan); Elizabeth McGovern (Jeannine Pratt); Dinah Manoff (Karen); Fredric Lehne (Lazenby); James Sikking (Ray Hanley (as James B. Sikking)); Basil Hoffman (Sloan); Scott Doebler (Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett); Quinn K. Redeker (Ward (as Quinn Redeker)); Mariclare Costello (Audrey); Meg Mundy (Grandmother); Elizabeth Hubbard (Ruth). Please contact SFC to add other cast members and characters.
Important: the following essays and comments are authored by Soul Food Cinema readers. Whilst the Editor prays for the spiritual integrity of all content of this site, it should be noted that these represent personal opinions and carry no official endorsement. If you consider any content to be a misrepresentation of Catholic teaching, please contact SFC. May God bless you and enlighten you in your reading.
-
Articles, Essays and Reviews
-
Please contact SFC if you are interested in submitting an essay on this film.
-
Readers' Comments and Opinions
-
Click the link to comment on this film. You may like to copy the film title and year (as given above) to your clipboard now for pasting into the following form.
-
The Cost of Repressed Emotions
Mark Banks (United Kingdom)
Opinion: Recommended
Not too long into watching Ordinary People it struck me how much the film has since been imitated, knowingly or unknowingly, by the directors of two highly popular, and in many ways similar, character studies that followed in the next decade - Good Will Hunting and American Beauty. A look at my reviews for those two films, both of which were once favourites of mine, will tell you that I'm no longer so enamoured with them. The former due to its extreme content of bad language and its casual treatment of a sexually active relationship (with the suggestion that the protagonist's best bet for real happiness will be found in his girlfriend), and the latter similarly due to its implicit message of there being little to no cost of various forms of immorality, but a high cost for the repression of supposed homosexual tendencies. Thankfully, though not perfect, Ordinary People does not fall into such traps. Instead, Conrad's treatment of his girlfriend-to-be is honest and respectful, in particular with him taking offense at the vulgar comments of one of his classmates. And the emotionally honest conclusion to the film with Conrad talking to his father (Donald Sutherland is excellent throughout) offers a far more realistic solution to lasting happiness than is found in the two successive films. Where both Good Will Hunting and Ordinary People get things right is in their analysis of the harmful effects of repressed anger and fear and a lack of forgiveness both to the other people in their lives, as well as to themselves. And that being the central message to Ordinary People means it gets my green stamp of approval. Had the film gone that step further and pointed the way to a relationship with a loving God as the ultimate solution to resolving life's issues I'm confident the film would've made it into my Top-100 as well.
