Ordinary People

This 1981 Best Picture/Best Director winner was the directorial debut of Robert Redford and his background as an actor-turned-director really showed here. He gave the actors time to develop a scene and allowed them to shine and produce full, complex characters. 

The plot was relatively straightforward, and perhaps with the lens of the 21st century it seemed rather pedestrian. However, it was because of this simplicity that forced the actors to be front and center and carry the weight of the film. And the actors - Timothy Hutton (Best Supporting Actor winner), Mary Tyler Moore (Best Actress nominee), Donald Sutherland (robbed of a nomination!) and Judd Hirsch (Best Supporting Actor nominee) - were definitely up to the task, elevating this film to an actor's showcase.

Redford deserved kudos, especially as a first time director, for being able to wrangle such intense portrayals from his cast. 

Moore did an amazing, nuanced and measured performance, contrary to her usual The Mary Tyler Moore Show persona, and Sutherland, who was given the more showy role, had great moments and a truly, genuine and heartfelt catharsis at the end. 

Hutton, in his first film role, was a revelation. His performance contained multiple layers and the peeling of those defences to the true vulnerability and eventually to acceptance was believable and felt authentic, barring some histrionics during the therapy scenes, but mostly he did come across as a truly struggling teenager. Although Hutton may have won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, he was, in my opinion, truly the lead and main focus of the film. 

Therein laid the biggest issue of this film. It could have benefited more if Redford and Oscar-winning writer Alvin Sargent had decided clearly who were the film's main focus. Is the film going to be about Hutton's teenage character suffering from PTSD and survivor's guilt, and finding his way out, or will it be more abut Moore and Sutherland's disintegrating marriage as they navigate the aftermath of a family tragedy (or two). 

Redford as a first time director made some rather cliched choices especially in terms of music (it's Pachebel's Canon in D again...and again...and again), costume choices (all the beige!) and cinematography (lots of wide-angled shots followed by a zoom-in), but in all, his effectiveness in getting great performances from his cast trumped all that. 

Ordinary People still held up almost 40 years later, however, its portrayal of mental health illnesses and male-centric storytelling may have to be brushed up a bit.