Ben Kramer (Hoffman) thinks he has a well-adjusted life. Devoted to his work, Ben is at the top of his game at an ad agency in New York City. He thinks his home life with his wife Joanna (Streep) and son Billy (Justin Henry) is also great—until Joanna informs Ben that she’s leaving him and abandoning her son to go and “find herself.” Confused and hurt, Ben is now forced to live a new life as a single parent with difficult responsibilities. Though Ben is far from perfect, he attempts to find a successful balance between his professional life and his home life.
Through ups and downs, Ben and his son find that their new way of life is not easy. Soon Ben’s work suffers as he begins to devote more and more time to Billy’s upbringing. Finally thinking that he may be doing things right, Ben starts to get into the groove of single parenthood. This doesn’t last long, as after a year and a half Joanna returns home—and she wants custody of her son. However, Ben is not ready to give Billy up—at least not without a fight. –DVDVerdict
Robert Douglas Benton (born September 29, 1932) is an American screenwriter and film director. Benton was born in Waxahachie, Texas, the son of Dorothy (née Spaulding) and Ellery Douglass Benton, a telephone company employee. He attended the University of Texas and Columbia University. Benton has won numerous awards for both writing and directing in film. In 1959, he co-wrote the book “The IN and OUT Book” with Harvey Schmidt, published by The Viking Press. He was the art director at Esquire magazine in the early 1960s. In 2006 he appeared in the documentary Wanderlust.
Benton’s family originally came from Northumberland in the United Kingdom, where the Bentons held a seat long before the Norman Conquest of 1066.[citation needed] Many family members settled in America, including Abigail and Isabel Benton, who settled in Virginia in 1642; George Benton, who settled in Barbados in 1669; and Robert Benton, who settled in Virginia in 1635. Benton was once a noble family, but they… read more
One of the most emotionally honest, films I've seen. The relationship between Ben and his son felt very real and I liKed how the film brushed aside style to create a raw observation between father, son and estranged mother. Full of countless beautiful moments- it was a film with a heart of gold. 4/5
This is a phenomenal movie. Truly one of the best movies I have ever watched. I am a serious critic and it takes much to stir me, but this movie had all the right combinations for “stirring”. The passion… read review
The film’s premise might not sound like much but the 1970s had a knack for making films so authentic and gritty, turning even the simplest and basic of stories into a gripping experience. Think Love… read review
