Ordinary People

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2:21

Ordinary People

R

Released Sep 19, 1980

2h 3m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

105 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland), with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch).

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Critics Consensus

Robert Redford proves himself a filmmaker of uncommon emotional intelligence with Ordinary People, an auspicious debut that deftly observes the fractioning of a family unit through a quartet of superb performances.

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Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

It does not want to shock you, provoke you, frighten you, intellectually stimulate you, or even teach you anything you do not already know.

Aug 8, 2022

Full Review

David Denby

New York Magazine/Vulture

Putting it crudely, I don't think a first-time director should make such a display of his own sensitivity. What Redford reveals of the Jarretts just isn't surprising or complex enough to justify all this gravity.

Jul 15, 2022

Full Review

Pauline Kael

New Yorker

The movie is just as sanitized as the fantasy of upper-middle-class life it sets out to expose. And it’s just as empty and orderly.

Jul 15, 2022

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Akos Peterbencze

The Screen

Over four decades in, Ordinary People is still compelling and remarkable because it conveys a delicate emotional intelligence that rings true regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender.

Sep 23, 2024

Full Review

Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

What makes Ordinary People special is how it treats mental illness and depression with sincerity and relatability.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

While the subject content brings about some heavy themes that are not easy to discuss, Robert Redford hits it out of the park with Ordinary People.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 23, 2023

Full Review

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Allen F

This film is an absolute masterpiece. The writing and characters based on the book were adapted so well for this film. It was some of the most drawn out I’ve ever seen characters in a film. This is a must see film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

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PJ G

A masterpiece. A broken family grieving. A young man in peril. My favourite film. Intimate tragedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

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alan g

One of the best acted, best directed, best filmed movies. However also one of the most depressing movies of all time. If you are not emotionally wasted at the end of it you have no emotions.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/29/24

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Freiduum F

Only watched it for the first time as a tribute to Donald Sutherland who died recently. I only lasted 42 minutes questioning myself since the 20 minute mark why am I watching this boring tripe. No wonder it won academy awards in its day....it's obviously the Academy's MO to give awards to such movies.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/23/24

Full Review

Jake B

Very raw and powerful. Conrad’s struggle with mental illness was executed really well especially for the 1980’s. I cried a little during the final scene cant lie. Film is definitely ahead of its time and although there were tiny things that could’ve been done better(some things were left open ended like his relationship with the friend from his swim team and cliffhanger scenes in therapy sessions etc) it was overall an amazing film that displays grief and the realistic ups and downs of mental illness.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

Full Review

Jonathan K

The mental health facet of this movie is really quite good, even four decades later. It manages to avoid a lot of the tropes of therapy that modern movies and TV series do not. My one complaint however, is that the "light bulb" moment the boy has is pretty unnatural feeling, although that might be more of a result of the filmmaking style of the time than the script. Mary Tyler Moore's character is very well written and acted in that she's quite unlikable and hard to sympathize with, but not impossible. And I think that's what the director and actor are going for. The movie has a strong and emotional ending. In particular, I like how they spent time closing (and opening some of) the various threads and letting the coda breathe.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/02/24

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Robert Redford

Director

Donald Sutherland

Calvin Jarrett

Timothy Hutton

Conrad Jarrett

Mary Tyler Moore

Beth Jarrett

Judd Hirsch

Dr. Tyrone C. Berger

M. Emmet Walsh

Coach Salan

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Ordinary People: Official Clip - Conrad's Breakthrough

0:54

Ordinary People: Official Clip - Conrad's Breakdown

0:33

Ordinary People: Official Clip - Mother and Son Photo

1:09

Ordinary People: Official Clip - We Never Had a Pet

1:07

Ordinary People: Official Clip - Mothers Don't Hate Their Sons

0:46

Ordinary People: Official Clip - Conrad Opens Up to Jeannine

1:31

Ordinary People: Official Clip - Love Ends

2:13

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Ordinary People: Trailer 1

2:21

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Synopsis

Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland), with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch).

Director: Robert Redford
Producer: Ronald L. Schwary
Screenwriter: Judith Guest, Alvin Sargent
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 3m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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