{"id":34040,"date":"2014-08-12T11:47:59","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T18:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=34040"},"modified":"2022-09-05T16:57:54","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T23:57:54","slug":"ordinary-people-1980","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=34040","title":{"rendered":"Ordinary People (1980)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;When I let myself feel, all I feel is lousy.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Poster-197x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-34041\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Poster-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Poster.jpg 497w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn the aftermath of his brother&#8217;s accidental death, a teenager (Timothy Hutton) with a repressed mother (Mary Tyler Moore) and a loving father (Donald Sutherland) seeks help from a therapist (Judd Hirsch) as well as solace from his sweet new girlfriend (Elizabeth McGovern).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Death and Dying<\/li>\n<li>Donald Sutherland Films<\/li>\n<li>Family Problems<\/li>\n<li>Guilt<\/li>\n<li>Psychotherapy<\/li>\n<li>Robert Redford Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;Best Picture Winner&#8221; &#8212; Robert Redford&#8217;s debut as a director &#8212; is &#8220;an extremely successful adaptation of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ordinary_People_(novel)\">Judith Guest&#8217;s prizewinning first novel<\/a> about the deterioration of an [upper] middle-class family due to the death of the firstborn teenage son and the inability of the mother &#8212; the symbol of the family &#8212; to love anyone else&#8221;. He argues that at times, Redford&#8217;s direction &#8220;is so precise and cold that the mother&#8230; might have directed it&#8221;, yet notes that &#8220;he&#8217;s sensitive toward his actors, and gets several outstanding performances&#8221; &#8212; particularly from Hutton, &#8220;who got a Best <em>Supporting<\/em> Actor Oscar although he is the film&#8217;s star&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-1024x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"347\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57408\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-1024x555.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-1536x832.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton3.png 1829w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He writes that the &#8220;Oscar-winning script by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/artist\/alvin-sargent-p109892\">Alvin Sargent<\/a> is perceptive, powerful, emotionally resonant&#8221; and &#8220;also tender&#8221;, with &#8220;the scenes between McGovern and Hutton&#8230; particularly sweet&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-1024x560.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"350\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-1024x560.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-768x420.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-1536x840.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3-494x270.png 494w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern3.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, he asserts that while &#8220;Moore received much praise for her cinema debut as a woman who has repressed her emotions for so long that they no longer exist&#8221;, &#8220;it has turned out that she plays most of her movie characters with extreme restraint&#8221; &#8212; indicating that he&#8217;s not terribly impressed with her work here. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-1024x552.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"345\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-1024x552.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-1536x828.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2-501x270.png 501w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore2.png 1823w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, Peary writes that he&#8217;s a bigger fan of &#8220;the <em>now<\/em> underrated <em>Ordinary People<\/em>&#8221; &#8212; which &#8220;received much praise from critics and moviegoers when it was released&#8221; &#8212; than the critical darling <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=72095\"><em>Raging Bull<\/em><\/a> (which he nonetheless gives the Best Picture award to in his book). He notes that while <em>Ordinary People<\/em>&#8216;s &#8220;reputation has&#8230; diminished, so that it&#8217;s now thought of as a mainstream family drama&#8221;, it actually deals &#8220;with difficult &#8216;mother-love&#8217; themes not handled in other films&#8221;. I&#8217;m in full agreement with this latter assessment. Redford&#8217;s direction &#8212; despite Peary&#8217;s (incorrect) assertion that at times it&#8217;s too &#8220;precise and cold&#8221; &#8212; is simply masterful: he captures the dynamics of this deeply troubled family in such a way that we immediately sense the depth of their hurtful dysfunctions. Regardless of Moore&#8217;s future roles, her work here as a cold, narcissistic mother is spot-on; scene after scene between Moore and Hutton is heartbreaking in its bitter authenticity.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-1536x831.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton2-1.png 1839w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re left with no doubt that she openly preferred her older (deceased) son, that she resents her younger son for being the survivor, and that she is solely interested in maintaining a life of appearances and surface pleasures (with her husband, not her child) while repressing any trace of genuine emotion. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-1536x845.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton-491x270.png 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Hutton.png 1824w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As Peary writes, Hutton does indeed offer a powerful, Oscar-worthy <em>lead<\/em> performance. He portrays a young man not only dealing with immense survivor guilt, but a lifelong legacy of being &#8220;second-best&#8221; in his mother&#8217;s eyes. Redford&#8217;s judicious use of brief flashback scenes &#8212; showing Hutton&#8217;s smiling, blonde, god-like brother (Scott Doebler) interacting with his adoring mother:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-1024x564.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-1024x564.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-1536x845.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother-491x270.png 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-Brother.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; as well as the tragic boating accident &#8212; help us to understand exactly why Hutton was damaged enough to attempt suicide (only to learn that his mother was primarily distressed about her bathroom rug being destroyed by his blood). This type of intense subject matter shouldn&#8217;t be easy to watch, yet Sargent&#8217;s masterful screenplay carefully balances heavier scenes with uplifting ones &#8212; such as Hutton beginning to date McGovern (wonderfully natural in her debut):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-1024x558.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-1024x558.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-1536x836.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating-496x270.png 496w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Dating.png 1831w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and Hutton receiving loving, <em>realistic<\/em> support from his new therapist (convincingly played by Hirsch). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-1536x836.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2-496x270.png 496w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Support2.png 1829w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sutherland also does impressive (if less front-and-center) work; as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s297ordinary.html\">DVD Savant points out in his review<\/a>, he makes &#8220;you forget all of his previous performances&#8221; in his portrayal as &#8220;a caring and sensitive father whose tolerant nature may not have been the best thing for his relationship with his wife&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-1024x553.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-1024x553.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-1536x830.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4-500x270.png 500w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland4.png 1809w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Savant&#8217;s review nicely summarizes many of the film&#8217;s overall strengths, so I&#8217;ll cite him some more. He notes that the film &#8220;has some good lessons to teach about divorces and messed-up families, which in real life come less from cruel betrayals or sinful transgressions, but simply grow from our basic natures.&#8221; He further writes that &#8220;psychological movies have tried to show the miracle of the psych cure, usually with dismal or laughable results&#8221; (see my recent review of <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33784\"><em>The Three Faces of Eve<\/em><\/a> for a case study of this cinematic tendency), &#8220;but through a lot of give and take, we do see something of a credible turning point occur for Timothy Hutton&#8217;s character&#8221;, who &#8220;recognizes truths he hadn&#8217;t before, and sees that though he&#8217;s not cured, things are not hopeless.&#8221; While the film ends on a somewhat downbeat note, the final scene serves as a valuable reminder that challenging family dynamics are not &#8220;a rationalization for chucking all relationships as worthlessly fragile&#8221;.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Timothy Hutton as Conrad<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34044\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hutton-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Donald Sutherland as Calvin<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Sutherland-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Mary Tyler Moore as Beth<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Moore-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Judd Hirsch as Berger<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hirsch.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hirsch.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34043\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hirsch.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hirsch-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Hirsch-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Elizabeth McGovern as Jeannine<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34045\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-McGovern-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>John Bailey&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34049\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Cinematography.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Cinematography-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Cinematography-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Alvin Sargent&#8217;s screenplay<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Screenplay.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Screenplay.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"608\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34047\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Screenplay.png 608w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Screenplay-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Ordinary-People-Screenplay-300x165.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a powerful, finely directed family drama. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0081283\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.nytimes.com\/www.nytimes.com\/packages\/html\/movies\/bestpictures\/people-re.html?scp=2&#038;sq=wasp&#038;st=cse\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.qnetwork.com\/index.php?page=review&#038;id=603\">Q Network Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s297ordinary.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/4772\/ordinary-people#articles-reviews?articleId=18955\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/london\/film\/ordinary-people\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;When I let myself feel, all I feel is lousy.&#8221; Synopsis: In the aftermath of his brother&#8217;s accidental death, a teenager (Timothy Hutton) with a repressed mother (Mary Tyler Moore) and a loving father (Donald Sutherland) seeks help from a therapist (Judd Hirsch) as well as solace from his sweet new girlfriend (Elizabeth McGovern). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Death and Dying Donald Sutherland Films Family Problems Guilt Psychotherapy Robert Redford Films Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary writes that this&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=34040\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34040"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86881,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34040\/revisions\/86881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}