Hankies at the ready!

I watched Ordinary People over the weekend. My wife's away on business (which happens a lot), which always puts me in melancholy mood. No matter how nice it is to have a bit of time to yourself, it's always nice when she comes back. Only a few more days to go though.

So feeling self-indulgent as I often do - there's nothing I like more than rainy days and sad songs - I popped this 1980 Mary Tyler Moore/Donald Sutherland/Tim Hutton/Judd Hirsch number into the DVD player. It suited the mood perfectly.

The opening seconds feature an autumnal patch of suburbia set to Pachelbel's Canon In D, which has got to be the most moving piece of classical music I've ever heard - the minute the film ended I downloaded it from itunes. From this moment then, the tone is set.

The story concerns a middle class American family torn apart after one son drowns in a boating accident leaving the other so depressed he tries to kill himself is really affecting. I've you've been affected by death, and let's face it, most of us have, then it will strike a chord.

The action starts after the younger son is released from hospital. Everyone's trying really hard to be normal, but mother can't forgive or love the son who's left behind and the appearance of normality is most to important to her, while father feels shut out by mother and is desperately trying to reconnect with son but is failing miserably. Son is having a hard time adjusting to life back at school and starts seeing a shrink, who through some tough love helps him through his troubles - sort of.

The cast are sensational. Tyler Moore is a revelation in this straight role, Donald sutherland is heartbreaking as the bereaved dad trying to do the right thing, but it's Tim Hutton who's the star. I believe he was the youngest man ever to win an Oscar at the time, and it's richly deserved. His pain is your pain.

Needless to say, there's no happy ending here. If you've not seen it, I'll not give it away, however this film must be seen. Don't expect a dry eye in the house though.