And the Best Picture goes to....

“Ordinary People”, directed by Robert Redford, is a film that navigates themes of grief, guilt and the struggle for emotional healing.  It’s always been one of my favorite films—strong performances by all.  After years of playing perky upbeat characters such as Laura Petrie and Mary Richards, Mary Tyler Moore delivers a one-eighty and shines in her role as the frosty family matriarch, Beth Jarrett.  She is a woman that beneath her façade of perfection hides a sense of deep emotional detachment.  My only disappointment with this film is that Donald Sutherland failed to receive an Oscar nod for his compelling performance as a man trying his best to hold his fractured family together.  His scene near the end of the film, where he is crying at the dining room table, is brilliant, emotional and realistic.  “You can’t handle mess” is a line that I find so identifiable.

Timothy Hutton is intense as the sensitive, yet troubled son looking for help dealing with his survivor’s guilt and his issues with his mother.  You can clearly see the rawness in his pain, and it’s worth noting that Hutton’s performance is the only one to win an acting Oscar for this film.

Pachelbel’s Canon effectively captures the essence of the upper-middle-class setting in Lake Forest, with its beautiful homes and tree-lined streets presenting an idyllic suburb that many would aspire to call home. However, this imagery of perfection conceals the turmoil that lies beneath the surface.

“Ordinary People” is a deeply moving exploration of grief, resilience, and emotions, and along with powerful performances and brilliant storytelling, results in a very well-told film.