Kramer Vs. Kramer, 1979

I did not get a sick taste in my mouth watching Kramer vs Kramer despite its feel-good aspect and touching father-son struggle. I did not come out of the movie feeling like the film was melodramatic, superficial, badly written or that it was a thinly veiled set of stereotypes all bumping into each other in the most unbelievable/absurd ways. Kramer vs Kramer is not like the feel-good weepie social agenda films like we have today that win Academy Awards. It actually deserves its accolades. It escalates marriage stereotypes into actual driven characters through great acting, subtle directing, and a tightly written script. Don't get me wrong, it's not without its fantasy roles - Dustin Hoffman's character, Kramer, has a remarkable transformation from the standard workaholic who doesn't know shit about how to be a good father to becoming, well, a good father - but the directing takes you through subtle emotional loops, the constant push and pull of a father learning to care for his child. There are moments of relief and moments of tension - and they are real. The film is not populated with screaming fights every 5 minutes. And if they exist, they are natural: shouting at a kid for spilling juice or eating ice cream before bed time, work stress, etc. Hoffman was excellent - he maintained his snappy, business-like personality throughout the movie but also let a little room in for the weepy scenes. And for how little screen time Meryl Streep has in this film, she blows all her scenes out of the water with heart-wrenching vulnerability and compassion.

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