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Kramer vs. Kramer follows the struggles of Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman), after his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) abandons him and their 7-year-old son, Billy (Justin Henry). As Ted copes with this, he has to learn to find some balance between his professional career, his personal life, and his duties as a parent.
Released in the late 1970s, I have to assume that this film stirred up some controversy, primarily for the way it challenges conventional gender roles. The wife and mother is the one that leaves, and the father has to learn how to take care of themselves. In that respect, the film is totally about Ted and Billy. Personally, I think I would've preferred a more balanced approach to both parents AND child, but technically, that would've been a very different film.
As it is, I really appreciated the way that the film portrayed Ted's growth as a parent, and in his relationship with Billy. Also, the moments where we see the kid trying to internalize and rationalize the abandonment and this clash between his parents were heartbreaking. There are a couple of scenes that are obviously put in there to highlight that contrast; the two breakfast scenes, or the scenes when Ted's walking Billy to school. As obvious as they are, I think they work, mostly because of the excellent performances from Hoffman and Henry.
I think that the film loses a bit once they bring Joanna back in the last act, mostly because you clearly see that the script is not on her side. Apparently Meryl Streep advocated for a more sympathetic portrayal of her character, and Hoffman fought her on it. But that is perhaps the more "benign" clash that they had. Streep has claimed that Hoffman groped her, slapped her, and harassed her, allegedly as part of his "method acting". Obviously, all of that means Hoffman is an a$$hole, but he's a talented a$$hole, and he very much shows that in here.
Streep also does a great job with what she gets, but like I said, this is Ted and Billy's story, and I was completely caught up in that. Being the son of divorced parents, but also being a "struggling new parent", I can confirm it has to do with constancy, it has to do with patience, it has to do with listening, even when you can't listen any more. But more important, it has to do with love.
Grade:
KRAMER VS. KRAMER
(1979, Benton)
A film with a couple's name in its title
(1979, Benton)
A film with a couple's name in its title
"I've had a lot of time to think about what it is that makes somebody a good parent, you know. It has to do with constancy. It has to do with patience. It has to do with listening to him. It has to do with pretending to listen to him when you can't even listen any more. It has to do with love."
Kramer vs. Kramer follows the struggles of Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman), after his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) abandons him and their 7-year-old son, Billy (Justin Henry). As Ted copes with this, he has to learn to find some balance between his professional career, his personal life, and his duties as a parent.
Released in the late 1970s, I have to assume that this film stirred up some controversy, primarily for the way it challenges conventional gender roles. The wife and mother is the one that leaves, and the father has to learn how to take care of themselves. In that respect, the film is totally about Ted and Billy. Personally, I think I would've preferred a more balanced approach to both parents AND child, but technically, that would've been a very different film.
As it is, I really appreciated the way that the film portrayed Ted's growth as a parent, and in his relationship with Billy. Also, the moments where we see the kid trying to internalize and rationalize the abandonment and this clash between his parents were heartbreaking. There are a couple of scenes that are obviously put in there to highlight that contrast; the two breakfast scenes, or the scenes when Ted's walking Billy to school. As obvious as they are, I think they work, mostly because of the excellent performances from Hoffman and Henry.
I think that the film loses a bit once they bring Joanna back in the last act, mostly because you clearly see that the script is not on her side. Apparently Meryl Streep advocated for a more sympathetic portrayal of her character, and Hoffman fought her on it. But that is perhaps the more "benign" clash that they had. Streep has claimed that Hoffman groped her, slapped her, and harassed her, allegedly as part of his "method acting". Obviously, all of that means Hoffman is an a$$hole, but he's a talented a$$hole, and he very much shows that in here.
Streep also does a great job with what she gets, but like I said, this is Ted and Billy's story, and I was completely caught up in that. Being the son of divorced parents, but also being a "struggling new parent", I can confirm it has to do with constancy, it has to do with patience, it has to do with listening, even when you can't listen any more. But more important, it has to do with love.
Grade: