Ordinary People is a very good, albeit dated, melodrama. For those who want to see big scenes where the characters have it out, and afterwards the people have changed and their lives change course, Ordinary People does deliver in that regard. The film goes for intense melodrama, and while it does not hit the right notes 100% in every scene, there are a few key scenes that make the film. This is a psychology movie, so it is also good for anyone who enjoys analyzing people and their motives, why someone said what they said, and why the other person reacted as they did. Ordinary People is the type of film where your opinion of each character can change from one viewing to the next. Personally, I enjoyed the film enough to watch it several times, but would caution that you have to go into the film with the right expectations. The film does have a lot going for it, but it is dated, and one has to be willing to stick through various odd spots and stay involved in order to get to the good parts.

4.0 / 5.0