Kramer vs. Kramer is a truly outstanding movie and even though it was released all the way back in 1979, it is just as powerful and heartbreaking today. If you are a parent, this movie can be a hard watch, especially if you have had to deal with a custody battle after divorce. I would also say it can really hit you in the heart if you were a child of divorce as well as this movie does not pull any punches.
How to Download Kramer vs. Kramer
Kramer vs. Kramer was released on December 19, 1979. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like legal drama – check out our reviews of Erin Brockovich or A Few Good Men.
An In-Depth Review of Kramer vs. Kramer
This is a movie that was a massive hit with it winning a ton of awards and it is so easy to see why. It is probably the best performance that Dustin Hoffman has ever given and to this day, his performance reaches through the TV and grabs me. Now, this is going to be controversial, but I used to rank Glenn Close’s Joanna right up there with the movie characters I hate the most! I have softened on her a bit over the years, but man, I still think that she is by far the villain of this movie.
The Plot of Kramer vs. Kramer
The plot of Kramer vs. Kramer is that we have a married couple in Ted (Dustin Hoffman) and his wife Joanna who have a son called Billy. Ted always puts work first while Joanna is left at home to raise Billy. Joanna has a real loss of purpose moment and decides that she needs to walk away from the marriage, leaving Ted to solely look after Billy.
As a parent myself, I used to just be so disgusted with Joanna and have a “screw her” attitude, but I can see now after many, many rewatches that she must have been so low to feel forced to make this decision. It is a credit to Glenn Close’s acting that she made me have such a strong reaction to her character.
Ted’s Journey as a Father
At first, Ted and Billy struggle to adjust to life without Joanna. However, Ted eventually starts to get in a groove with his parenting, all be it at the expense of his job. I love the way that we get to see Ted step up as a father and I always saw him as the hero of the movie. Yet, now I also do see Joanna’s side where she was the one doing everything until she stepped away and Ted was not a great father or husband.
The Emotional Custody Battle
However, when Ted was forced to pick between his work and his son, he picked his son. Now, Joanna manages to “find herself” and she comes back and tells Ted that she wants Billy back. This whole scene makes my blood boil and while I can sort of empathize with Joanna more now. I still think that she is in the wrong for strutting back in and just thinking that she can take Billy now that she is “ok”.
We get a pretty nasty courtroom battle and back then, the dad winning a custody battle was very unusual so things are more in Joanna’s favor, even though she is the one that walked away! The ending has always been kind of bittersweet for me as Ted does get to keep Billy, but only because Joanna allows it, after dragging Ted through this nightmare of a custody battle. Even though she does what I feel is the right thing, the way she goes about it never sits well with me.
A Lasting Impact
The fact that Kramer vs. Kramer does make me have such a strong personal reaction to it each time I watch it, tells you what a fantastic movie this is. I have seen it multiple times and each time I am able to see a different point of view or think about something differently. I am super guilty of throwing 10/10 scores around, but there is no way that I could honestly give this anything less.
