IMDb > Ordinary People (1980)
Ordinary People
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Ordinary People (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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Ordinary People (1980) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
Ordinary People (1980) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   15,329 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 54% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Redford
Writers:
Judith Guest (novel)
Alvin Sargent (screenplay)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Ordinary People on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
27 February 1981 (Australia) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
some films you watch, others you feel. more
Plot:
The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 4 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 8 nominations more
User Comments:
Great Family Drama more (234 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Donald Sutherland ... Calvin Jarrett

Mary Tyler Moore ... Beth Jarrett

Judd Hirsch ... Dr. Tyrone C. Berger

Timothy Hutton ... Conrad Jarrett

M. Emmet Walsh ... Coach Salan

Elizabeth McGovern ... Jeannine Pratt
Dinah Manoff ... Karen

Fredric Lehne ... Lazenby
James Sikking ... Ray Hanley (as James B. Sikking)

Basil Hoffman ... Sloan
Scott Doebler ... Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Quinn K. Redeker ... Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello ... Audrey
Meg Mundy ... Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard ... Ruth
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Additional Details

Runtime:
124 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The scenes at Dr. Berger's office were filmed with increasingly darker lighting to recreate the effect of it getting dark progressively earlier through the autumn. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Conrad enters the elevator to Dr. Berger's office for the first time, his hair changes length and style between shots. more
Quotes:
Calvin "Cal" Jarrett: Don't admire people too much, they might disappoint you. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "House M.D.: Under My Skin (#5.23)" (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Canon in D major more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
34 out of 41 people found the following comment useful.
Great Family Drama, 20 July 2005
10/10
Author: qdude440 from United States

This is a powerful directing debut from Robert Redford, a great family drama that goes every which way but down. By the end, our thoughts have been altered a bit and its a film that leaves you thinking.

Conrad, played brilliantly by Timothy Hutton in an Oscar winning role, is the depressed suicidal son of a couple struggling to cope with their son's drowning death. Conrad of course feels responsible, and has already tried to take his own life once before.

Reluctantly, he begins to see a shrink at the advice of his father. Dr. Berger, also played brilliantly by Judd Hirsch {though there are no slouches in the cast}, helps Conrad through thick and thin. By the end of the movie, the audience truly feels for all characters to some degree.

As has been stated, the acting is magnificent. The story may seem simple but this type of film really doesn't need a heavy plot. Its an excellent look at the problems we all face. When I first saw this at a young age I related completely to Conrad's character. When I saw this tonight, I related more to the adults and could really feel for them a lot more than I remembered. Each character has a unique sense of reality to them. The actors really carry the film, making the characters seem like real people we've known for years.

Unfortunately this movie has received somewhat of a bad reputation over the years as the film that beat Raging Bull in 1980 for the Best Picture and Director Oscars. While both movies are excellent, its sad that one has to be better than the other and people just don't enjoy both movies for what they are. Many people have preconceived opinions about this 'small' film they have not heard of. After all, Raging Bull is an all time classic. Just watch this movie with an open mind, because it really works on every level as a powerful family drama detailing the persona of many different types of people.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ordinary People (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
How many people nearly cried laughing at this point? hockey_playa131
recommendation of a similar movie arnexter
Conrad's Hair 'growing back in'? ilovecolbert08
Could not remember this movie hollandprojects
Beth Jarrett: Mom Or Monster? Nogerelli
Uncompromising ending (SPOILER ALERT) rvc_nyc
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