Classic Movie Monday: Kramer vs. Kramer

Welcome to Classic Movie Monday. Every Monday, I watch a film at least 25 years old that I have never seen before. I will then write my comments on the film, telling you what I thought of it. This is an attempt to beef up my classic film knowledge as well as highlight some forgotten gems of Hollywood's heyday. So without further ado...

Kramer vs. Kramer
Released: December 17, 1979 
Directed by: Robert Benton
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, & Justin Henry  

Plot in a Nutshell:
A housewife abruptly leaves her husband and son in an act of desperation. The workaholic father must then cope with having to raise his son alone and also maintain his career. A year and a half later his wife comes back, wanting to take custody of their son.

What I thought:
I am a child of divorce. I have seen first hand, the effects that are wrought on all those involved. I have been forever changed by the repercussions of such a horrible thing (not always bad). Believe me when I say: Kramer vs. Kramer is an absolutely FLAWLESS representation of a failed marriage and what it does to Husbands, Wives, Fathers, Mothers, and the children caught between. 

The most powerful part of this film is not that it merely enacts the terrible time at the end of a marriage, but does so with absolute sincerity and utter realism. I have NEVER seen a film so well acted before in my entire life. Dustin Hoffman is amazing in his subtlety and equally powerful in his ability to restrain himself at just the right moments. There are eruptions of emotion throughout, but the strongest parts in the film are the simple understated nods, gestures, or slight smiles. He doesn't so much perform as he just lives and breaths this character and his trials. It's no wonder he won an Oscar here.

Meryl Streep doesn't have a large part, but she more than makes up for her little screen-time by bringing in an enormous presence. She does a despicable thing at the very beginning of the movie: she abandons her family. But Meryl is so good that you never hate her for it. You never once see that character as anything but tragic. That is the real magic to her portrayal. Playing a woman who is on the edge of a full and complete breakdown, it is no wonder that she also won an Oscar.

And rounding out the trio of great performances is that of Justin Henry, the son caught between two loving parents. I have no idea how a child of his age was able to pull off probably one of the greatest child performances in the history of cinema. It seriously is that good. The way in which he responds to a desperate father's attempts to connect, it is heartbreaking. When he asks so innocently of his mother, your heart crumbles as his father tries to explain the truth of divorce and separation. His reactions are some of the most gut wrenching I've seen.

The thing I want to iterate with this film is how extraordinarily real and authentic this film feels. It is not over played and it is not overly dramatized. It simply is. This is due in large part to the fact that both Dustin and Meryl were both going through similar problems that their characters were experiencing. Dustin was on the other side of a divorce, and Meryl had just separated from a long-term, close relationship. Their real world experience only elevated their presence and performance in the film, and you can see it in every frame.

Aside from the performances, the film succeeds on every level as a demonstration of the anguish of divorce. The courtroom scenes stand out in particular. Both parties fight passionately for the custody of their son, but both begin to see the other's side to a degree that they never had before. Dustin was confused as to what Meryl was going through when she left. It wasn't until the end that he truly understood what strong emotions she was dealing with. Also Meryl never seemed to get an appreciation for what her husband had been dealing with since she left. He lost his job because he was so devoted to his kid, and unfortunately at a crucial time for the custody hearing. This man, when his son fell off a jungle gym, ran three blocks, across traffic, to a hospital. They really give you a sense of the love and the hurt throughout the film.

I cannot gush enough about this extraordinary piece of work. Not only does it represent a pinnacle of acting talent, but it tackles a subject matter that is very difficult, very powerful, and emotionally charged. There is so much that I haven't even mentioned, the great juxtaposing, the idea that the Mother is almost always favored in child custody, the themes of rejection, love, loss. It is a great, great film. I cannot recommend this film enough. An absolute must see.

Bottom Line:
Realistic, powerful performances detail the anguish of a failed marriage and the hard repercussions people face in it's wake.  And it's a Best Picture winner.

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