Their world is truly a perfect place; with its groomed lawns and freshly painted homes, and even the people are polite, proper, and happy with life- or so we are led to believe. Robert Redford brings us this perfect world with its perfect people only to show us the imperfections that are so well hidden and are never supposed to be seen. Ordinary People is the story of a families struggle to accept the death of a son and its consequences on all who are left. The main character that is highlighted in the story is the younger son Conrad. Having recently returning home from a mental hospital after an attempted suicide, he is the primary victim of this tragedy. He was on the boat when his brother "Buck" drowned, and he blames himself for his death. The parents are almost polar opposites. The father is desperately trying to keep the family together and to understand what is happening, while the mother is seen to ignore everything and continue to uphold all the pretense that is her life. Also featured in this film is Conrad's psychiatrist Dr. Burger who serves as a means of telling the background story as well as to help the family in realizing their true situation.
I first saw this film twenty years ago as part of a high school field trip. The theater was filled with high school seniors and we wondered who thought up the bright idea of seeing this "Boring" film. This thought went on for about the first ten minuets then we were all engrossed in it. I distinctly remember the gasp of the audience when Conrad receiver the news of his friends suicide over the phone. That gasp was missing in this viewing of the film. I can only attribute it to the age of the audience. The odd thing about seeing this movie after so many years was that the first time I saw it I was seeing it from the son Conrad's eyes. This time I looked at the story and felt more for the father. I suppose age can change a perspective that one views a story from. The gasp was voiced from a room full of Conrad's twenty years ago where this time we were a room full of parents sympathizing with his plight. The ability of a director in being able to tailor a film to his audience, even years later, is a noteworthy achievement. Ordinary People was and still is a great film.
I first saw this film twenty years ago as part of a high school field trip. The theater was filled with high school seniors and we wondered who thought up the bright idea of seeing this "Boring" film. This thought went on for about the first ten minuets then we were all engrossed in it. I distinctly remember the gasp of the audience when Conrad receiver the news of his friends suicide over the phone. That gasp was missing in this viewing of the film. I can only attribute it to the age of the audience. The odd thing about seeing this movie after so many years was that the first time I saw it I was seeing it from the son Conrad's eyes. This time I looked at the story and felt more for the father. I suppose age can change a perspective that one views a story from. The gasp was voiced from a room full of Conrad's twenty years ago where this time we were a room full of parents sympathizing with his plight. The ability of a director in being able to tailor a film to his audience, even years later, is a noteworthy achievement. Ordinary People was and still is a great film.