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Ordinary PeopleRobert Redford's directorial debut picked up four Oscars (including best director) and swiftly established him as a serious presence behind the camera. Seriousness, in fact, is the dominant tone. As matters progress, this simple tale of loss and repression becomes something immensely powerful.
Calvin (Sutherland) and Beth (Moore) are wealthy parents grieving for the accidental death of their teenage son. Surviving child Conrad (Hutton) blames himself for the accident and has already attempted suicide. Calvin attempts to get through to the boy in awkwardly jovial fits and starts. Beth is an uptight, waspish perfectionist tortured by what she knows but can't admit: that Conrad's dead brother was her favourite.
These relationships play out in a series of sophisticated set pieces and performances are universally excellent. Moore in particular finds great depth in her character and scenes between her and Hutton are both tragic and slightly creepy - she aloof and cool; he terrified of her touch. Redford's great skill is the way he delicately explores these characters until they're reduced to their most basic needs. For an Oscar-winner it's unusually bleak but the power is very carefully controlled.
Verdict Moving, unsentimental domestic drama that contains moments of great power. Look and tone are very elegant and Redford coaxes expert performances out of a highly skilled cast.
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