Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Redundant and unnecessary.

Let's be realistic.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Blistering performances.

Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry and Jane Alexander star in this 1979 drama based on the novel. Hoffman (Rain Man) plays Ted Kramer, a New York dad who fights for custody of his young son, Billy (Henry) after his wife, Joanna (Streep) leaves them. Alexander plays Margaret, Ted's friend & neighbor. Hoffman is terrific in this, I think it's one of his best performances and Streep and the rest of the cast are good as well. I recommend this good 70's drama.

Forced to take care of his young son when his wife walks out on him, a workaholic finds himself in a custody battle when his wife returns eighteen months later in this emotionally charged drama. Dustin Hoffman is excellent in the lead role with many remarkable moments throughout, mostly notably the way he slowly comes apart while making breakfast for his son for the first time. The film is shot with a number of superb subtle touches too, such as the camera every so slowly zooming in on Hoffman in the scene where he is fired. While many of the themes here are nothing new (juggling family and work; single parenting), the quality of acting from all concerned elevates the material. The best aspect of the film is probably how we are given a chance to hear the mother/wife's side of the story in the second half of the movie. While the movie is nowhere near as two-sided as it could have been, there is something touching in how the mother/wife is never turned into a villain - especially since her request to have her son back initially seems plain selfish. Meryl Streep is very good in the part too, turning what could have easily been a detestable character into a relatable human being. The conclusion here might not be particularly realistic, but with a sensational closing shot and memorable final dialogue exchange between the two leads, it is hard to resent the choice of ending.

Time was, 35 years ago, when I rated this as my third-favorite movie of all time. I'd watched it a total of three times, thought Hoffman's performance was the greatest, and much later bought a Beta copy of it. Of course, in '79 I'd seen very, very few movies then; I'd be familiarized with the historical classics in a film class several months later.I watched that Beta tape once, and never felt a need to see it again. And it's rather astonishing how far down this critically hailed film's reputation has gone. For its time, it marked the emergence of a new male image: the non-macho man of the 80s who feels free to display some normally female traits, like sensitivity and shopping and seeing his child to and from school safely. As well as trials and tribulations of single parenthood. Well, that redefinition of masculinity almost immediately went out the window with the election of a new president. Testosterone and T-bone steaks still reigned supreme, and the epithet "wimp" came back stronger than ever.I still remember my second viewing of this movie, just shortly out of the theaters and available to the 16-millimeter student cinema groups at universities everywhere. The audience was booing and hissing Streep's character when she came back to claim hers and Hoffman's child, and particularly during the climactic courtroom scene. They saw her as the heavy who just up and abandoned her family. Not that I found this especially revolting, but this viewing experience was unanticipated.I saw it again just two weeks ago with my folks; my father tuned it in about a quarter of the way into the film. It still flowed beautifully right through to the end, and it seemed an utterly magnificent three-fourth's of a movie. I'd love to watch it again, complete of course; just not right now.

Ted Kramer is a man who is spending his whole time working although he has wife Joanna, and a child Billy. Joanna takes care of little Billy, and do housework. However, she wants to get a job actually, and decides to go somewhere alone. Suddenly, without Joanna, Ted and Billy start to live together. Ted doesn't know a lot of things like how to make French toast. Ted comes to do so many things that he has not done before. It is such a hard work for him, but they are getting closer and closer compared to before. One and a half year passes by, Joanna comes to Billy back. She decides to try a trial. How will they be in the end? The reason why I watched is my friend recommends me to watch. As my friend told me, it is worth watching, because the theme is family. We can understand the story easily, because it is related to every person. After I watch it, I come to think what the important thing it is, and if I were in the same situation as Billy, what I would think and feel. I want to recommend this to my friend too.