KRAMER VS. KRAMER ***

It may not be the masterpiece many people claimed of it when it first opened but "Kramer vs. Kramer" is still one of the finest, grown-up American pictures of its decade. It could have been unbearably cute but writer/director Robert Benton, adapting Avery Corman's novel, approaches the subject with such a degree of honesty it is both unsentimental and very moving; he even manages to get a great performance from seven year old Justin Henry as the child caught in the middle of a bitter divorce, (he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor).

Of course, at its heart is a magnificent performance from Dustin Hoffman as the single father, doing a remarkable job of raising his son when his wife, (relative newcomer Meryl Streep), walks out on him in order to 'find herself'. The plot involves Streep's attempt to gain custody of young Henry a year after leaving him. This was Meryl's first Oscar winning performance, (in the supporting actress category), but I find her work here highly mannered. Much better is Jane Alexander as a friend and neighbour who comes to Hoffman's rescue; hers is a lovely, natural performance, totally without affectation.

A good deal of the film's strength lies in the little domestic details of Hoffman's relationship with his son and in the way Hoffman deals with the issues confronting him. Seldom has a Best Actor Oscar been more richly deserved. It's also a great New York picture; Nestor Almendros did the superb cinematography. Unfortunately Benton never lived up to the promise he showed here and in his earlier films, "The Late Show" and "Bad Company" and has done nothing comparable since. No masterpiece then but a good, strong American drama that is still well worth seeking out.