Kramer vs. Kramer [Blu-ray]

A rip your heart out movie if there ever was one. Ladies, bring your tissues, several boxes, and men, be ready to excuse yourself when you can't hold the tears back either. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep bring wonderful, full, realistic performances as the young troubled couple whose lives are torn apart when Joanna (Streep) walks out on Ted (Hoffman). Ted is caught completely unaware of Joanna's unhappiness, and is left to raise their son, Billy (Justin Henry) alone. Much of the movie is about the adaptation and emotional growth that takes place between a once detached father and an emotionally needy son. Hoffman and Justin Henry pull it off magnificently and effortlessly. They become the characters they play. While it is certainly rewarding to see Hoffman grow in his role as a father and realize what exactly is important in one's life, it is Justin Henry who steals the show. Despite his young age, he is somehow able to summon the appropriate body language and facial emotion for each demanding scene. Although Streep and Hoffman get top billing, Justin Henry is their equal. Jane Alexander brings up a remarkably strong supporting cast, as the friend of Joanna's who befriends the bewildered Ted Kramer. Alexander is wonderful, and her role is such that one is forced to wonder if a reconciliation between Ted and Joanna could perhaps happen in the future. Bringing a classic comic relief scene to the movie, JoBeth Williams, girlfriend of Ted, accidentally meets young Justin Henry in the hallway while she is in the buff. They carry on a polite conversation while Williams tries to cover up her body parts.What a wonderful, touching film this is. It is full of great performances, has scenes that will live in your heart forever, and has an ending that will leave you wondering.There is some brief nudity and some sparse swearing, so this is not suitable for those under 13-14 years old.While not exactly a "family" movie per se, this movie holds up well over the years as its theme resonates through the generations: family is important, relationships are important, and love is the binding force that bonds it all together.kone

A wonderful, beautifully acted film about the meanings of love,friendship, and above all parenthood. This is the film where RobertBenton's complex humanism really comes to full flower.In a situation that almost demands taking sides - a sudden divorceleading to an unprepared father taking over childcare only to bechallenged for custody when the mother returns 18 months later - Bentonmanages to make everyone a complex human being, with strengths andweaknesses, trying their best to do the right thing in a painful, messysituation.Hoffman, who has been brilliant so many times playing characters farfrom himself is perhaps the most moving he's ever been playing acharacter that director Benton described as really, honestly playinghimself - perhaps the hardest character of all. Streep takes a womanwho could have easily come off as the villain of the piece, and makesyou understand her actions - - even abandoning her little boy. JaneAlexander is wonderful and subtle as the slowly developing friendHoffman makes as a single father, and young Justin Henry is utterlyreal in a way few child actors are as the 7 year old stuck in themiddle. It's also beautifully, if understatedly shot by NestorAlmendros.It's flaws are minor. Some of the supporting roles, while played byterrific character actors, are a bit more one note and characturishthan they need be. And some of the courtroom theatrics feel just a tinybit... well, theatrical. Also, there's a logic point that's always buggedme - why doesn't Hoffman - doing quite well on Madison Avenue, hire apart-time housekeeper or nanny to help him from becoming terminallyoverloaded by the combination of career and single parenthood? Lastfamily politics have changed enough in 31 years that no longer wouldthe climactic court fight stack up quite the same way - it's no longera rarity for a man to want custody of his children - but that's not aflaw in the film, just a welcome reminder that some things do getbetter.And none of the above are enough to detract from the fact that this isstorytelling and acting of the highest order.The blu-ray, while not a dramatic leap from the fine DVD, is stilla worthwhile upgrade. The additional richness and texture inboth the image and the sound gives the film an even greatersense of immediacy.