The movie
Show notes
“Give her the goddamn [microphone], Conrad!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian & Liam (Megs and B-Tech Kev have headed off to Houston) – as we dive deep into the murky waters of grief, guilt, and WASP repression for our 289th episode, covering Robert Redford’s directorial debut Ordinary People (1980). We’re joined by BFF of the BFE: Ariannah (Who Loves BFE the Most™), as we trade poisoned apples for therapy sessions and take a long, quiet look at the cracks beneath the perfect family portrait as we discuss: How Ordinary People took the 1980 Oscars by storm Does the film’s quiet intensity still hit home—or has its reserved style become a relic of another era? Is Conrad a deeply sympathetic protagonist—or a mirror too uncomfortable to look into? How Ordinary People explores mental health, emotional repression, and the cold war between appearance and authenticity. Would the film still work today or have we successfully de-stigmatized mental health, trauma, and therapy? Which character we most relate to – and does that change Where Mary Tyler Moore lands in the pantheon of dramatic performances. And what’s someone's major gripe with her character’s arc? Speaking of gripes—can we talk about that family photo scene? We’ve got questions about golf sweaters, family breakfast tension, and how much pain can hide behind tickets to Michigan State We get personal about how Ordinary People affected us—and whether we saw ourselves in any of its emotional breakdowns. We talk quiet power, redemptive silence, and the importance of just… being there for someone. Whether Ordinary People is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE . We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva
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