Ordinary People

I recently went to my sisters acting school to see her do an end of semester performance and one of the scenes done was from the play Ordinary People. My family and I decided that the story as described was so compelling that we bought the movie after we returned from the city and proceeded to watch it that night. It sort of reminded me of Good Will Hunting in the way that the main character was really distraught and by the end of the film they were so transformed and brought to a place of excellence. But I found Ordinary People to be far better. It was so powerful. The tag line is so true: "Some films you watch, others to feel." I fell as if any viewer could connect to Conrad (the main character). I mean yes, he did face a horrible tragedy that people typically don't have to endure in their day to day, but the emotional turmoil of anything really is prevalent in many people's life. The power comes with this: that he didn't let the violent emotions be his demise as it was his friend Karen's. It was beautiful and encouraging to see that. I'm not sure if what I just wrote made sense. I believe it would be far more understandable if the movie is seen, but hopefully it is at least coherent. I think one big reason for this movie being so powerful because the casting was perfect. My sister first stated this and I've thought about it and it's a very valid assessment. Every single character was excellent, even the tiny supporting actors. I clearly have a thing for movie endings, because this movie was made ten times better by the fact that I had no idea what was to come at the end, and when it finally did end it was so bitter sweet. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or mortally destroyed for Conrad. He spent so much time trying to repair this relationship with his mother but she leaves him, but at the same time the closing shot repairs any of the sorrow that goes with that loss. And since I can't find a picture it's this shot that's slowly panning out of Donald Sutherland and Timothy Hutton embraced in this powerful father-son hug.