Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Young husband and father, Ted Kramer, loves his family - and his job, which is where he spends most of his time. When he returns home late one evening from work, his wife, Joanna, confronts him and then leaves him, forcing Ted to become the sole caregiver to their six-year-old son. Now, Ted must learn to be a father while balancing the demands of his high-pressure career. But just as Ted adapts to his new role and begins to feel like a fulfilled parent, Joanna returns. And now she wants her son back.

This one won a boatload of Oscars the year of its theatrical release and covers a pretty hard subject, divorce. Anyone who has been through this type of thing will instantly relate to this onscreen battle for the care of a child. This film tackles it from a different angle than most and looks at the rights of the father in a child’s life, which are too often ignored by the court and families alike. A touching film that still resonates as much today as it did in the late 70’s.

Sony does a great job with this catalog title and delivers a very detailed and nicely preserved image. The source shows little in the way of noise or print wear and fine film grain is preserved nicely. The image isn’t quite as detailed as more recent titles but still manages a nice sense of dimension. Fine detail in close ups still look great and the color palette doesn’t look overly aged. I don’t think you could ask for much better from an older film like this.

The soundtrack has a bit of a dated quality to it. Dialogue is slightly tinny with a rather timbre heavy tone but I didn’t notice any break up and imaging across the screen was great. The rest of the mix relies heavily on the film’s score, which does a good job of keeping the mood and opening up the main soundstage. Ambiance is light in the surround soundstage but not completely devoid.

Extras are limited to the documentary that was previously included on the DVD. This feature has interviews with the cast and crew and insight into the production and reception of the film. This title is also BD-Live enabled.

Sony delivers a solid presentation for this difficult film. While not a film I would recommend for repeat viewings, the drama and acting are superb. Easily worth a rental.