Kramer vs. Kramer

Based on Avery Corman’s novel, Kramer vs. Kramer follows Dustin Hoffman’s Ted Kramer as his life is turned upside down after his wife (Meryl Streep’s Joanna) leaves him – with the narrative primarily detailing Ted’s ongoing efforts at caring for his young son (Justin Henry’s Billy). Filmmaker Robert Benton, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a solid drama that benefits substantially from the top-tier efforts of its various performers, and it’s clear, certainly, that the movie’s perpetually watchable vibe is due in no small part to Hoffman’s mesmerizing, lived-in turn as the affable protagonist – with the actor’s gripping work here undoubtedly matched by his various costars. (Likewise, Streep absolutely dominates her big courtroom scene towards the end and effectively transforms her seemingly villainous character into a much more sympathetic figure than one might’ve initially anticipated.) The movie’s watchable atmosphere is enhanced (and heightened) by a continuing presence of overtly entertaining sequences, including a terrific, crowd-pleasing digression wherein Ted attempts to lock down a job during a potential employer’s Christmas party, while the emotionally-charged climactic stretch ensures that Kramer vs. Kramer concludes on a memorable (and completely satisfying) note – with the end result a first-class adaptation that ultimately fares even better than its source material.

***1/2 out of ****