Classic 80s Movie Review: Ordinary People

Conrad's athletic older brother dies in a boating accident but he lives and his cold-hearted mother can't forgive him, driving him to attempt suicide. His father, anxious to return to a peaceful family existence, rescues Conrad from the mental facility and brings him home. Sound familiar? If so, that's because you've either read the best-selling novel, "Ordinary People," by Judith Guest, or you're hearing echoes of elements basic to every dysfunctional family story you've ever seen on screen. In the movie version of "Ordinary People," the first "Best Picture" of the 80s and actor Robert Redford's directorial debut, Mary Tyler Moore hurls a surprisingly scathing performance of the aloof, perfectionist mother at audiences who had adored the actress for years as the winsome, adorable assistant Minneapolis TV producer in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Similarly, the dysfunctional family setting in last year's "Rachel Getting Married" gave actress Anne Hathaway the ideal chance to reshape her "Princess Diaries" image with the searing portrayal of Rachel, the drug addict sister returning home for a supposedly happy family reunion at her sister's wedding.

Similarities between the two notable pictures don't end there. Both Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton) and Rachel have attempted suicide, both believing, falsely or not, that they are responsible for a brother's death. Each repeatedly looks to their mother for love and assurance, but instead receives rejection and withdrawal. The father roles are also strikingly in accord. In "Ordinary People," Donald Sutherland delivers a tender portrayal of the dad who just wants to make things better for both his critical wife and his suffering son, but eventually is drawn into the harsh realization that the cruelty and self-centeredness of his wife cannot be overcome. Rachel's father, another gentle dad, has already left his hard-hearted first wife and Rachel's mom, deftly played by Debra Winger, who flees when faced in a final scene with the bitter truth surrounding the circumstances of their young son's death. And what dysfunctional family story would be complete without psychiatric counseling? Judd Hirsch, as Dr. Berger, defines the role in his no-nonsense approach in "Ordinary People," trying to cut through the fog for Conrad as he struggles to understand what really happened the day his brother died. Likewise, Rachel opens and closes the film with her counselor from rehab.

"Ordinary People" is a film to be viewed again and savored, not only for its iconic story, but also for its stark cinematic beauty and hauntingly lovely music score. It is a true 80s movie classic that has influenced movie makers ever since.