Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A couple's divorce and the resulting custody battle force both parents to confront their roles and identities.
The story
When Ted Kramer, a workaholic advertising executive in New York City, is told by his wife Joanna that she is leaving him after eight years of marriage, the couple faces a grueling transition. Joanna leaves their seven-year-old son, Billy, initially believing she is unfit to be a mother. Ted must suddenly navigate the demands of solo parenting while maintaining his demanding career. As the couple's relationship deteriorates, they eventually enter a legal battle over custody. The film explores the psychological fallout of their separation and the evolving roles of both parents as they struggle to adapt to their new lives and the demands of the legal system.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Joanna leaves Ted and their son Billy, Ted struggles to balance his career as an advertising executive with the daily needs of their son. The tension escalates when Joanna reappears in California, demanding custody. A legal battle ensues, involving a contentious court hearing where both parents are scrutinized. Ted's professional life suffers as he tries to maintain his standing while fighting for his son. During the trial, the attorneys engage in character assassinations, and the legal battle becomes increasingly bitter. Ultimately, Joanna is awarded custody. However, in a final twist, she reveals she is relinquishing custody because she does not want to take Billy away from his home, and the film ends with her and Ted seeing their son together.
- First release year
- 1979
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Benton
- Writers
- Robert Benton · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Dustin Hoffman · Ted Kramer; Meryl Streep · Joanna Kramer; Justin Henry · Billy; Jane Alexander · Margaret
- Genres
- drama; legal drama
- Themes
- divorce; parenting; gender roles; work-life balance
- Tone and mood
- serious; realistic
- Premise and plot tags
- courtroom drama; family drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Avery Corman's 1977 novel
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim upon release, with high praise for its direction, story, screenplay and performances of the cast, particularly those of Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100
- Production trivia
- The film was a major commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1979 in the United States and Canada.; The film used the first movement of Antonio Vivaldi's Mandolin Concerto in C Major.; The film was remade in several languages including Turkish, Hindi, and Urdu.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…