ORDINARY PEOPLE REVIEW!! (RIP DONALD SUTHERLAND)

Initial release date: September 19, 1980

Studios: Paramount Pictures/Wildwood Enterprises

Tagline: Everything is in its proper place ... Except the past.

Plot: Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth, who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin, with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger.

Cast

Donald Sutherland - Calvin Jarrett

Mary Tyler Moore - Beth Jarrett

Judd Hirsch - Dr. Berger

Timothy Hutton - Conrad

M. Emmett Walsh - The Swim Coach

Elizabeth McGovern - Jeannine Pratt

Dinah Mandoff - Karen

Frederic Lehne - Joe Lazenby

James Sikking - Ray

Basil Hoffman - Sloan

Adam Baldwin - Stillman

Writer: Alvin Sargent (The Amazing Spider-Man; Spider-Man 2; Unfaithful)

Judith Guest (novel)

Director: Robert Redford

Rated R (124 min)

With the passing of Donald Sutherland a couple weeks ago, I wanted to take a look at a couple films featuring the late talented actor. The first film of his that I looked at a few nights ago is the 1980 drama Ordinary People.

Ordinary People is a heart-breaking and truly moving film that will really have you feeling for some of the characters and will really have you tearing up in a few scenes. When you see that the family is still dealing with both their oldest son's untimely death and the other son's suicide attempt, you see that they're trying to deal with it their own way.

Donald Sutherland gives a great performance as the father who's trying to be affectionate and those moments can be quite touching. Mary Tyler Moore, who's always known for her comedic roles, gives a tremendously different, yet great performance as the mother. Her character is very distant and can't really show any love for her son. Timothy Hutton also gives a tremendous performance as the troubled Conrad and during the scenes where Conrad talks about the guilt he has over his brother's death, those moments can be gut-wrenching. In fact, he won an Oscar for this role.

If you haven't had the chance to see this riveting drama. then I highly suggest you do. It's filled with great performances, incredibly emotional moments and what makes this drama feel so real is that the situation that this family is going through in the film can happen to any family.

You can currently stream Ordinary People through the Max streaming service!!

Here are some tidbits for Ordinary People!

• Timothy Hutton's father, actor Jim Hutton, died prior to filming. However, Hutton stated he didn't use his mourning as a basis for Conrad's depression. Also, actress Mary Tyler Moore's only son, Richie Meeker, accidentally shot himself a month after the film's release.

• Moore was shocked by Redford's offer that she portray Beth, especially given her sunny, warm and highly connective persona in The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and elsewhere.

• Moore stated that, in response to her surprise, Redford confided that he'd had her in mind for the role since the first time he'd read the novel. Viewers were in turn surprised by her performance, though she received critical praise.

• Elizabeth McGovern was a student at Julliard during filming. The school permitted her to do the film on the condition that she leave for Chicago each Friday night and return on Sunday, filming only on Saturdays. It was the first time Julliard had ever permitted a student to make a film during a school term.

• In an Entertainment Weekly article, Hutton said Redford deliberately told cast and crew to play into his inexperience and resist helping him during filming so that he would feel as isolated and unsupported as his character.

• Ordinary People is on the list of the most banned books in school libraries with a scene depicting two teens losing their virginity, frank discussion of suicide and graphic language, it remains very controversial in schools. In fact, this book was the 52nd most challenged book in schools and libraries from 1990 to 1999, narrowly beating out No. 53 - American Psycho.

• Sutherland stutters slightly in a scene where he describes his son's death. That stutter was an accident but while watching the dailies, Redford felt that it was perfect, and decided to use it.

• Gene Hackman was originally cast as Dr. Berger, but had to bow out, due to re-shoots on Superman II. Hirsch was cast as his replacement, on condition that he could complete the filming of his scenes in 9 days, so as not to interfere with his schedule on the show Taxi. He earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination as a result.

• Film debuts of both Timothy Hutton and Elizabeth McGovern.

• Mary Tyler Moore called Ordinary People "the Holy Grail of my career."

• Redford decided to do the film because the story's family reminded him of his own in the way it talked about issues.

• At age 20, Timothy Hutton became the youngest Best Supporting Actor winner.

• Included among the AFI's 1998 list of the 400 movies nominated for the Top 100 Greatest American Movies.

• The film was a box office success, grossing $54 million domestic, and approximately $36 million overseas for a worldwide gross of $90 million.