Kramer vs. Kramer

Utterly absorbing portrait of a couple's divorce and subsequent tussle for custody of their son.

While the story is told predominantly from the father's point-of-view, no-one gets unrealistically demonised, with the result that humility and respect are never far from anyone's choices. This is a battle that neither side wants, nor one that they intend harm to come to any party from.

The actual court scenes, being a bit melodramatic, lack the realism of the rest of the piece, yet both Ted and Joanna are shown to disapprove of their own barrister's zeal.

The final line of the movie took me completely by surprise, revealing the personal lessons that both ex-husband and ex-wife have perhaps now completed, and leaving the viewer to ponder whether the last awful couple of years may in fact have ultimately been a blessing in disguise to all parties.