I applaud this movie for its subtle characterizations of the various members of a dysfunctional suburban family. But I blame the movie for its not-so-subtle use of profanity. Having never read Judith Guest's novel, I don't know to what degree the dialogue reflected the language of the book. I do know that the screenwriters seem childishly intoxicated with the new-found freedom to insert four-letter words in a mainstream film. The bad language added little and detracted much from this movie's power. It also set an unfortunate precedent, which may be summed up as follows: to achieve dramatic effect, simply direct the actors to yell and cuss at each other. Too often, as in parts of "Ordinary People," this technique serves as a crutch for lack of substance.
Review of Ordinary People
