Director: Robert Benton
Year: 1979
Book by: Avery Corman
Adapted by: Robert Benton
Cinematographer: Néstor Almendros
A great film, tough to watch. Definitely sits in that part of cinema referred to as "new hollywood" because although filmed in NYC, major hollywood actors Hoffman and Streep play in a film about divorce that is unflinching and not comical. Subject matter that wouldn't have been touched before in hollywood.
Here is the most genuine depiction of a divorce and custody battle that I've ever seen. The audience can't figure out to side with the mother who up and left the family who now realizes it was a mistake and wants custody or the father who was initially a workaholic, emotionally disconnected father and husband who at a couple of points loses his temper irrationally with a little boy, but who learns to sacrifice career for family, making the boy number one priority in his life and also fighting to keep custody of the child he has been raising as a single dad for the last 18 months.
Both parents are flawed, real characters, who truly love their son... and perhaps the cruelty of the lawyers attacking them on the stand is the one thing that can teach them to have mercy on each other, maybe even take another chance.
Excellently written, directed and acted. Love the scene of the morning after Streep leaves, and Hoffman and the kid are cooking french toast together as it builds to a fever pitch of tension and anger... when finally Hoffman burns his hand on the pan, throwing it to the ground and screaming out briefly. Classic American cinema.
If only current hollywood dramas could learn a bit about the genuine and full character development displayed in this picture.
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