This film is really lackluster except for the acting skills. In my opinion, the work done by "The Kramers" to promote the feminist movement is even more important. The story told in the film is very ordinary. Dustin Hoffman, who is devoted to work, doesn't care enough about the housewife Meryl Streep, which causes her to abandon her husband and her son and run away in anger. Hoffman can only take his son by himself. After experiencing all kinds of chaotic lives, the lives of the two are just getting on the right track. Hoffman is fired by the company because he often misses work because he wants to bring his children. At this time, Streep, who had undergone psychotherapy and found a job, appeared suddenly and took Hoffman to court in order to regain custody of the child. Although Hoffman lost the lawsuit, Streep finally realized that the father and son were deeply affectionate and decided not to take the child away. The front of the film portrays the problems of middle-class men represented by Hoffman: the seven-year itch of marriage, the relationship between work and family, father-son relationship, etc., while the implicit narrative is represented by Streep Inspired by feminism, thousands of American housewives walked out of the family to find their own meaning. The two narratives merged into one in the final court. The resurgence of old feelings after the separation made the couple's rivals in court a variety of exciting scenes. The script was well designed, but the performance was absolutely top-notch. The editing of this section is remarkable, avoiding the length of 20 minutes of court scenes. The front and back correspondences of many details have also reached Hollywood's screenwriting technical standards.
However, saying these is not conducive to the social and psychological meaning reflected by this film. Coppola was unfortunately squeezed into 1979 after the Vietnam War reflected on the dominance of movies in 1978. At this time, the American people really need spiritual comfort. So the family melodrama with standard middle-class values came into being as a healing medicine. Just like the characters in the play, although they have made mistakes and lost themselves, family and love are the medicine to alleviate all this. So I am not surprised at the last Happy Ending. The streets of major American cities are still busy. This avoidance is rather a strong psychological suggestion. So quarreling or running away from home, and naughty children become the protagonists of life, because after all, the war is half of the world away, and the real thing is still my own little life.
View more about Kramer vs. Kramer reviews
