Ordinary People (1980)
“Everything is in its proper place... except the past.”
Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being supportive to Conrad. Calvin is trapped between the two trying to hold the family together.
The film establishes its central universe, introducing the protagonists into an escalating conflict. Directed by Robert Redford, this opening movement establishes high visual and thematic stakes that set the narrative journey into motion.
The protagonists navigate escalating complications, ethical dilemmas, and formidable challenges. Starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, the middle act intensifies dramatic momentum toward an inevitable turning point.
The dramatic arcs converge in a decisive climax, resolving interpersonal conflicts and delivering the auteur’s resonant thematic conclusion.
Donald Sutherland
as Calvin Jarrett
Mary Tyler Moore
as Beth Jarrett
Judd Hirsch
as Dr. Berger
Timothy Hutton
as Conrad Jarrett
M. Emmet Walsh
as Swim Coach
Elizabeth McGovern
as Jeannine Pratt
Dinah Manoff
as Karen
Fredric Lehne
as Lazenby
James B. Sikking
as Ray Hanley
Basil Hoffman
as Sloan
Quinn K. Redeker
as Ward
Mariclare Costello
as AudreyCinematographic negative, aspect ratios & laboratory mastering sheet
| Aspect Ratios | 2.39:1 |
|---|---|
| Camera Systems | Arri Alexa LF / Panavision Millennium DXL2 |
| Negative Format | 35mm / 65mm / Digital Master |
| Printed Film Format | 70mm / DCP Master |
| Sound Mix Formats | Dolby AtmosDTS:X5.1 Surround |
| Laboratory / VFX | Technicolor / Double Negative (DNEG) |
| Color Processing | Color (Rec.709 / DCI-P3 Mastering) |
| Official Runtime | 124 min |
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Weighted consensus from 100K+ verified global cinephile ratings
The pipe organ composition from Hans Zimmer at the edge of Gargantua is monumental. Nolan masterfully balances the vast coldness of relativistic astrophysics with the intimate, multidimensional bond of family. A transcendent achievement of cinema.
"Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Michael Caine reciting Dylan Thomas resonates throughout the entire odyssey. Pure cinematic grandeur.
