Ordinary People Movie Analysis

Ordinary People In the film Ordinary People, it is about the Jarrett family tragedy and how the results of the suffering plays itself out amongst the family a year later. Everyone must continue to keep a front of normality for society and for each other. Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftershock of the death of their oldest son Buck. Conrad is overcome by so much sorrow and guilt to the point that he attempted to commit suicide which led him to spend a few months in a hospital. He seeks out therapy because he needs to feel more "in control". Beth had always preferred Buck over Conrad, and has trouble connecting with Conrad. Calvin is trapped trying to hold the family together but it doesn’t seem to be as easy of a task.

By Beth trying to get over the tragedy, it brings conflict into her and Calvin’s marriage. Beth is the type of person to care what the neighbors think, she cares more about the rank of her family than how the family actually is progressing with the loss of Buck. She is in denial about her feelings; mainly her hatred and anger toward Conrad. Her need for so much power, control, and structure leads to a huge deal of tension within the family. She becomes more uneasy and controlling as she feels more indifferent and angry. Beth shows that she has an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) because she shows mental and interpersonal control, she’s preoccupied with orderliness, and always trying to perfect everything. For example, Beth was trying to control what Calvin wore to Bucks funeral and to be honest, it really didn’t matter what Calvin wore to their son’s funeral. By Beth getting mad at what Calvin wore, it really confused him as to why it mattered if what he wore would affect grieving over Buck. Beth tries to controls everyone so she can live this “perfect” life. By being this type of person, it leads to her leaving Conrad and