Directed by: Robert Benton
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry, Jane Alexander, Howard Duff
Life gets very messy very quickly for Ted Kramer (Hoffman), an advertising executive with a new account which will require more time at the office. He thinks his home life is covered, until his wife Joanna (Streep) informs him she is leaving him and their seven-year old son Billy (Henry) to find herself. She is clearly unhappy in the marriage and with Ted's workaholic ways, but he doesn't seem to recognize this. He seems more upset that he will now have to walk his son to school than he does with his wife walking out. It isn't that Ted is a bad father or even an absentee one. He took Joanna and Billy for granted as he plunged into work, but now he will have to assume both roles as caregiver and breadwinner. He nearly melts down while making French toast for Billy the next morning, so we see he has a long way to go.
Kramer vs. Kramer is not a movie of the week nor is it a family comedy. It is a genuine, moving drama about how people change in the face of upheaval in their lives. Ted goes from not knowing what grade his son is in to blossoming into a loving, present parent. Joanna disappears from the scene before returning to reclaim her son. A custody battle ensues, which gets nasty and expensive, but there is little doubt that both parents love their son and want what is best for him. Kramer vs. Kramer sees all sides of the issues it presents. It doesn't go for easy payoffs nor, as the title may suggest, forces us to choose sides. We are able to see why both Joanna and Ted are right and why they are also wrong.
Since Joanna disappears for the first half of the movie, we witness Ted and Billy learn to understand each other again. They bond so well that, in the film's penultimate scene, they make French toast together completely unlike Ted's first try earlier. We see them evolve and grow. We see Joanna evolve and grow into a woman she is happier being. There are no about faces in which Ted and Joanna fall back in love. Joanna begins to understand herself and the situation so well that she makes a crucial decision for the best interests of all. It is unexpected, but makes sense. And it is kind of a happy ending.
Hoffman and Streep both won Oscars for their portrayals of two people trying to find their way through a tough situation. It would be easy for us to side with Ted, but we see how Ted is more concerned with work than his family, so we can't necessarily blame Joanna. In the middle is Billy, played by Oscar nominee Justin Henry with complete ease and naturalness. He is an eight year old who understands some things, accepts others, but wonders in the dead of night why his mother left. Ted explains it to him in perhaps the most introspective moment of his life. It is a powerful, quiet scene of pure truth.
Ted's work suffers because he now has to juggle his roles. His boss is not unsympathetic to his plight, but he grows tired of having to explain Ted's sloppy work and missed deadlines to his superiors. Ted can't be all things to all people anymore. His priorities gradually shift and we see this happen before our eyes. The movie takes its time with Ted's changes. We also see family friend Margaret (Alexander) who is going through a divorce of her own. She instinctively sympathizes with the whole situation and acts as an audience surrogate in a way.
Kramer vs. Kramer feels real and handles its themes with the complexity they deserve. In real life, a divorce is among the most painful and complex situations one can encounter. Even if it is best for all involved, sometimes it sure doesn't feel that way.
Since Joanna disappears for the first half of the movie, we witness Ted and Billy learn to understand each other again. They bond so well that, in the film's penultimate scene, they make French toast together completely unlike Ted's first try earlier. We see them evolve and grow. We see Joanna evolve and grow into a woman she is happier being. There are no about faces in which Ted and Joanna fall back in love. Joanna begins to understand herself and the situation so well that she makes a crucial decision for the best interests of all. It is unexpected, but makes sense. And it is kind of a happy ending.
Hoffman and Streep both won Oscars for their portrayals of two people trying to find their way through a tough situation. It would be easy for us to side with Ted, but we see how Ted is more concerned with work than his family, so we can't necessarily blame Joanna. In the middle is Billy, played by Oscar nominee Justin Henry with complete ease and naturalness. He is an eight year old who understands some things, accepts others, but wonders in the dead of night why his mother left. Ted explains it to him in perhaps the most introspective moment of his life. It is a powerful, quiet scene of pure truth.
Ted's work suffers because he now has to juggle his roles. His boss is not unsympathetic to his plight, but he grows tired of having to explain Ted's sloppy work and missed deadlines to his superiors. Ted can't be all things to all people anymore. His priorities gradually shift and we see this happen before our eyes. The movie takes its time with Ted's changes. We also see family friend Margaret (Alexander) who is going through a divorce of her own. She instinctively sympathizes with the whole situation and acts as an audience surrogate in a way.
Kramer vs. Kramer feels real and handles its themes with the complexity they deserve. In real life, a divorce is among the most painful and complex situations one can encounter. Even if it is best for all involved, sometimes it sure doesn't feel that way.
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