Kramer vs. Kramer

Rating: 4.5/5

If I were to think of one word that would describe Kramer vs. Kramer, it would be impressive, and that word would solely describe the acting found within the movie.

By the time Kramer vs. Kramer came out, Meryl Streep was no longer an unknown, but she wasn't the Academy Awards powerhouse we all know her to be today. This film is where it all started. She had been nominated for The Deer Hunter prior to this, but with her win for Kramer vs. Kramer, it seemed as if her awards momentum couldn't be stopped, and decades later, it still hasn't slowed down. One viewing of this movie and it's impossible not to see why Streep's career continued on the path that it did. Though she's not in the bulk of the movie, every scene she's in is flawless.

The story of Kramer vs. Kramer is at times, hard to watch, and that is because of the heart wrenching portrayal of Billy given by Justin Henry. I'm always baffled by child actors and how they're able to put so much emotion and believability into their performances with so little life experience to draw from. I watched Kramer vs. Kramer for the first time during my Academy Awards Best Picture watch through, so prior to this, when I thought of impactful and memorable child performances, I always thought of the same few; Haley Joel Osment, River Phoenix, Jacob Tremblay and Abigail Breslin. Now, Justin Henry is added to the list, because you cannot watch his scenes in Kramer vs. Kramer and not immediately be blown away by the poignancy he brings to every second he's on screen. It's not even the scenes with big emotions. Sometimes, it's just the small looks he gives to his father when you can tell his character is trying to be brave. I don't know how he did it, but it's remarkable.

Kramer vs. Kramer is far from the type of movie I would categorize as a "comfort watch", meaning a film worth revisiting time and again, but even so, I know I'm going to be watching this for a second time very soon. For some of the movies I watched during my Oscar mania, I was really able to absorb the plot, but for others, they've nearly escaped my memory. Kramer vs. Kramer is still very much on my mind, but I still want to watch it again outside of the Oscar watch through, to give it a stand alone viewing and to once again watch the outstanding performances that make up the story.

1980 Best Picture Winner - Kramer vs. Kramer

1980 Best Actor in a Leading Role Winner - Dustin Hoffman

1980 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Winner - Meryl Streep

1980 Best Director Winner - Robert Benton

1980 Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Winner - Robert Benton