Ordinary People
After a suicide attempt and the loss of a son, a Chicago family must confront the grief and emotional favoritism that have made reconciliation nearly impossible.
Overview
A family's struggle to heal in the shadow of tragedy reveals the depths of grief and the challenge of connection.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- intimate
- restrained
- quiet evening
- reflective viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Robert Redford's emotionally intelligent direction, understated suburban realism, and quartet of superb performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Calvin, Beth, and Conrad struggle to reconnect after the death of the other son, with each processing grief differently.
Conrad's ongoing work with Dr. Berger provides the film's central route toward understanding his suicide attempt and misplaced guilt.
The affluent Chicago-area setting is presented matter-of-factly while family pain unfolds through controlled domestic interactions.
Dr. Berger is depicted as a direct but supportive psychiatrist whose relationship with Conrad is central to the family's possible recovery.
Films like Ordinary People, and why
The Ice Storm
family grief, emotional repression, and intimate psychological realism
American Beauty
suburban family dysfunction, marital strain, and understated dramatic observation
Rabbit Hole
bereavement, parental conflict, and emotionally restrained domestic drama
The Hours
therapy-centered character work and serious examination of depression and guilt
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Redford
- Release Date
- 1980-09-19
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (726)
Cast
- Donald Sutherland
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Judd Hirsch
- Timothy Hutton
- M. Emmet Walsh
- Elizabeth McGovern
- Dinah Manoff
- Fredric Lehne
- James B. Sikking
- Basil Hoffman
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ordinary People about?
- After a suicide attempt and the loss of a son, a Chicago family must confront the grief and emotional favoritism that have made reconciliation nearly impossible.
- What is Ordinary People like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ordinary People as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ordinary People violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ordinary People as mild.
- What did critics think of Ordinary People?
- Critics broadly praised Robert Redford's emotionally intelligent direction, understated suburban realism, and quartet of superb performances.
- Which films are like Ordinary People?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ice Storm, American Beauty, Rabbit Hole, and The Hours.
- How long is Ordinary People?
- Ordinary People runs 124 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ordinary People?
- In United States, Ordinary People is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
