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Trailer

Ordinary People

1980Movie2 h 4 minR

Drama
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Letterboxd4.1/5Metacritic867.7Rotten Tomatoes90%88%

A moving, bleak drama movie about everyday modern life and family, with standout performances and characters.

Good for date night · friends night · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you want to half-watch while scrolling

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Everything is in its proper place... except the past.

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being supportive to Conrad. Calvin is trapped between the two trying to hold the family together.

Feels like

  • Family Drama
  • Psychological Turmoil
  • Grief and Loss
  • Character-Driven
  • Suburban Disquiet
  • Emotional Intensity
  • Bleak Realism
  • Therapy and Healing

Cast

15 of 15

Crew

Directed by
Robert Redford
Written by
Alvin Sargent, Judith Guest
Produced by
Ronald L. Schwary
Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

September 19, 1980 · 2 h 4 min · R

Released
September 19, 1980
Runtime
2 h 4 min
Age rating
R
Content
Suicide Themes
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$6 million
Box office
$55 million
Available in
68 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

The Film of the Book, Lack of Empathy, Reasonable Authority Figure +9

  • The Film of the Book
  • Lack of Empathy
  • Reasonable Authority Figure
  • The Shrink
  • Color-Coded for Your Convenience
  • Broken Bird
  • Leitmotif
  • White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
  • Survivor Guilt
  • Doting Parent
  • Uptown Girl
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good

12 of 48 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Ordinary People?"

Questions about Ordinary People

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Ordinary People?

KanopyHooplaPluto TV

In the United States, Ordinary People is free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, and Pluto TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Microsoft Store. It also streams in 5 other countries.

Is Ordinary People worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 7.7, Letterboxd 4.1 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 90%, and Metacritic 86).

Is Ordinary People plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and dialogue centrality (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Will I feel good after watching Ordinary People?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Was Ordinary People a box office hit?

Budget$6 million
Box office$55 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $6 million to make and earned $55 million worldwide, 9.1 times its budget.

What tropes does Ordinary People use?

The Film of the BookLack of EmpathyReasonable Authority FigureThe ShrinkColor-Coded for Your ConvenienceBroken BirdLeitmotifWhite Anglo-Saxon ProtestantSurvivor GuiltDoting ParentUptown GirlEvil Cannot Comprehend Goodand 36 more

TV Tropes lists 48 tropes for it, including The Film of the Book, Lack of Empathy, and Reasonable Authority Figure.