A middle-class Chicago family falls apart when the older of two sons dies in an accident and the younger fails a suicide attempt. Actor Robert Redford (The Milagro Beanfield War, A River Runs Through It) won an Academy Award for this directing debut of this Alvin Sargent screenplay adapted from the Judith Guest novel. Donald Sutherland (MASH, *Invasion of the Body Snatchers) plays Calvin Jarret, a father desperately trying to support his grieving son Conrad (Timothy Hutton) and maintain the peace with his wife Beth (a frosty Mary Tyler Moore in a rare movie role), who is in denial and has chosen to disengage with her surviving son. In addition to Redford’s Oscar, the powerful Ordinary People won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Hutton) and Best Screenplay at the 1981 Academy Awards. Late film critic Roger Ebert gave it four stars for its realistic portrayal of family dysfunction. — Jaime Mendez

Rated: R