Ordinary People (1980) Review

Title: Ordinary People
Year: 1980
Director: Robert Redford
Country: US
Language: English

I’ve been determined to watch every Best Picture Winner from 1929 until present day. I tried to avoid Ordinary People (1980) until the last few remaining pictures, because the title seemed very bland. Do I want to watch an “ordinary” film? It went against Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull and somehow won. This couldn’t have been worthy as “Best Picture”…or could it?

The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother (Mary Tyler Moore) , the good-natured father(Donald Sutherland) and the guilt-ridden younger son (Timothy Hutton).

Robert Redford (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) exceeded my expectations for this “ordinary” film. Ordinary People is a poignant heartfelt family drama that navigates complex emotions (pain, grief, healing) in an honest way. Its script allows the film to be an emotional rollercoaster, without crossing the line into melodrama.

The cinematography is underrated, as it doesn’t appear on any “best of” lists. The staging and camerawork capture the inner turmoil of each character. The framing gives the film’s quieter moments an incredible amount of emotional power. The score is also deeply affecting.

Ordinary People may not be as timeless as Raging Bull, but it’s certainly a worthwhile watch that will grip you with its engrossing storytelling. This is quite a masterful work of cinema.