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Kramer vs. Kramer

Play trailer 1:32 Poster for Kramer vs. Kramer PG 1979 1h 44m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 102 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
On the same day Manhattan advertising executive Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) lands the biggest account of his career, he learns that his wife, Joanna (Meryl Streep), is leaving him and their young son, Billy (Justin Henry). Forced to raise his son alone, Ted loses his job but gains a stronger relationship with the child with the help of another single parent, Margaret (Jane Alexander). When Joanna returns to claim custody of Billy, the ensuing court battle takes a toll on everyone concerned.
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Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer

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Critics Consensus

The divorce subject isn't as shocking, but the film is still a thoughtful, well-acted drama that resists the urge to take sides or give easy answers.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Blowen Boston Globe 08/05/2022
Hoffman, Streep and Henry persuade you that they are "real" people in a "real" situation, and that is a rare phenomenon in contemporary movies. Go to Full Review
Michael Maza Arizona Republic 08/05/2022
In concept, in casting, but especially in execution, it is easily the year's most successful motion picture and probably one of the decade's. In assessing credit one hardly knows where to begin. Go to Full Review
Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune 08/05/2022
4/4
Kramer vs. Kramer never loses its low-key, realistic touch. You will sit at the end of the film wondering why we don't see more pictures like this. Go to Full Review
Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm Apr 24
3/4
A crucial time-capsule movie... Go to Full Review
Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal 06/22/2024
4/5
The film remains a masterclass in marital (and masculine) anxiety, with precisely observed details across the board. Go to Full Review
Mark Johnson Awards Daily 06/27/2023
Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman are extraordinary in this timely tale of marital divorce and the problematic battles of child custody. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jayzon Mar 17 One of the best films of all time See more tim G @timg8747 57m i really liked kramer vs kramer where meryl streep plays the wife of dustin hoffman who leaves her husband and son and hoffman has to take care of son on his own and ends up in a custody battle in the end ,dustin hoffman earned his oscar for his performance as the single father ted kramer also i felt that howard duff who played hoffmans attorney deserved a nomination for his performance See more BGM E @Expose 2d I was shocked by the horrendous screenplay. The abusive father Hoffman is playing is nauseating. I remember liking it when it was first released but it hasn’t aged well. Hoffman plays a narcissistic, fake parent. What in the world? Dreadful. If this is what parents were like in the 70s, it explains a lot about our society. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Apr 30 Success in 1 hour and 44 minutes. All ages admitted. The worldwide gross is $173,000,000.00 over a budget of $8,000,000.00. See more Daniel M @RT53097422 Apr 2 This film has several core film memories from whisking eggs, getting a job in 24 hours, a father running with an injured son in his arms and lastly the line, "We're gonna be okay." Hoffman and Justin Henry are spectacular. Streep is good, her character, Joanna, is underwritten. Joanna is unhappy she hasn't gone back to work and being a mother is now the expectation. She abandons her child so she can regather herself and go find work? Something tells me Ted would have been okay with Joanna going back to work. Sometimes it takes a woman to leave for a man to wake up, but that doesn't justify the abandonment. And Ted surely wouldn't have had a relationship with Billy if Joanna hadn't left. Hoffman's energetic performance shows a hardworking and distant father with a beautiful arc. I was certainly motivated to go to work the next day. See more Zane T @ZaneThind Dec 9 A very emotional film that will leave you in mostly tears. It's also very well acted and boy do you feel sorrow when you always hear Hoffman saying "I'm alright" with a smile on his face because you know that's not true. See more Read all reviews
Kramer vs. Kramer

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Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Change of Heart Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Change of Heart 2:13 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Were You A Failure? Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Were You A Failure? 2:02 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Ted's Plea Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Ted's Plea 2:11 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Billy Acts Out Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Billy Acts Out 2:09 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I Want My Son Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I Want My Son 2:09 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I'm His Mother Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I'm His Mother 2:02 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Making French Toast Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - Making French Toast 2:10 Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I'm Leaving You Kramer vs. Kramer: Official Clip - I'm Leaving You 2:12 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis On the same day Manhattan advertising executive Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) lands the biggest account of his career, he learns that his wife, Joanna (Meryl Streep), is leaving him and their young son, Billy (Justin Henry). Forced to raise his son alone, Ted loses his job but gains a stronger relationship with the child with the help of another single parent, Margaret (Jane Alexander). When Joanna returns to claim custody of Billy, the ensuing court battle takes a toll on everyone concerned.
Director
Robert Benton
Producer
Stanley R. Jaffe
Screenwriter
Avery Corman, Robert Benton
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 19, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Mono