Copyright 1979 Columbia Pictures
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Maddie had never seen this film and it had been probably 7-10 years since my last viewing, so we decided to fire it up on Netflix Instant Watch on Saturday night to wind down the evening.
Dustin Hoffman plays Ted Kramer, an NYC art director at a Madison Avenue advertising firm, who his quickly climbing his way up the corporate ladder. At home, he has his wife, Joanna (Meryl Streep), and son, Billy (Justin Henry). After learning he has just scored a huge account with the company that could be his ticket to success, his wife announces that she is leaving him and Billy. At first, he thinks it’s some kind of a joke, but soon realizes that Joanna is serious about deserting her family, leaving him to raise their six-year-old son. For a man who has constantly focused on his occupation, the added responsibilities of raising Billy are a hard-learned process. However, as time passes, he and Billy grow quite close and their relationship blossoms. After nearly a year and a half away, Joanna decides to return to New York from California, and wants to take custody of Billy. Having now built a life with his son, Ted refuses to had over custody and the issue ends up in court, where many settlements are given to the woman out of gender stereotype alone.
This is a very solid film. By synopsis, it might sound simple, but it is the sum of the parts that make this film such an enjoyable and wonderful experience. The unobtrusive direction and tight script by Robert Benton, amazing performances by Hoffman, Streep and 8-year-old newcomer Henry, and naturalistic cinematography by Nestor Almendros, all intertwine beautifully in creating this touching movie. Henry became, and still is, the youngest nominee for an Academy Award in the competitive categories for his Best Supporting Actor nod, though he didn’t win. Among other nominations, the film did win Best Picture, Best Actor for Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep, and Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Robert Benton.
There is nothing grandiose about this picture; it is simply a small film with the basic elements of telling a story visually. However, it succeeds on such a level that I think nearly any audience member would enjoy Kramer vs. Kramer and find it immensely entertaining. It goes to show how important a good story and solid characters are in motion picture production and makes me long for more simple, yet concrete stories like this one to come back to the forefront of American cinema.
notesonafilm 