Home/Episodes/Kramer vs. Kramer
‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin
February 21, 2022 · Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) · Drama · 2:08:05 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
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Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsMeryl Streep — No other actress could pull off Meryl Streep's part - her performance showing pain and unraveling is unique to her▶ 21:39
Sean FennesseyMeryl Streep — Probably no other actress could do it - Streep's performance is what separates the movie from being just a TV movie▶ 21:49
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsDiscusses multiple scenes but notes many are not rewatchable due to being too painful, mentions Joanna leaving scene, silent breakfast routine, French toast scene, chocolate chip ice cream scene, and Ted job hunting scene▶ 59:39
Mallory RubinAnalyzes scenes for their cinematic construction and emotional impact, particularly praising the Joanna leaving scene and French toast scene, but agrees they need another label since scenes are too painful to be truly rewatchable▶ 1:00:25
Sean FennesseyFocuses on the French toast scene as important for showing how hard it is to be a mom and the transition dynamics between Ted and Billy▶ 1:03:27
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsImplies Ted should have lost custody for poor supervision - letting Billy play dangerously on the jungle gym while flirting with the neighbor instead of watching his kid.▶ 1:24:26
Sean FennesseyQuestions whether the movie makes sense - why wouldn't these two people just have joint custody since they both live in New York City? Also notes that legal scholars say no judge would render this verdict.▶ 1:23:45
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsTed should have read Joanna's letter first before reading it to Billy - 'Ted, read the letter first before you read it to the kids. Maybe don't wing that. Preview that one.'▶ 1:26:26
Sean FennesseyJane Alexander's character - she botched being on the stand, nearly let the kid get hurt with the airplane, was team Joanna most of the movie, then gravitated to Ted just because she was lonely▶ 1:24:47
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsThe one-day hiring process and how someone would immediately be fired for kissing a stranger at a Christmas party in 2022▶ 1:36:28
Mallory RubinMilk at every meal, John Shaughnessy's cruel legal approach, and Ted's boss Jim O'Connor's unsympathetic response to single parenthood in the workplace▶ 1:34:41
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsHoward Duff — Initially suggests George Coe (Dustin Hoffman's boss), then considers Howard Duff, ultimately agrees to give it to Howard Duff▶ 1:41:34
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsShared multiple trivia facts: Avery Corman wrote source novel, Jo Beth Williams nude scene optically darkened for rating, Justin Henry was 7 and improvised with Hoffman, only 70s Best Picture winner not preserved by Library of Congress, glass breaking scene filmed at J.G. Mellon's restaurant, Meryl Streep was pregnant during filming▶ 1:44:07
Sean FennesseyMade jokes about brightening the nude scene, questioned why the film wasn't preserved by Library of Congress, and added that Streep met sculptor Gummer after John Cazale died▶ 1:44:21
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsDustin Hoffman — Yes for Hoffman (either this or Tootsie, but thinks it's this movie), No for Streep (she's been on the mountain for 40 years), Yes for Justin Henry, Yes for Entenmann's, Yes for divorce movies, Yes for French Toast, Yes for Jungle Gym Accidents, Yes for Benton (director)▶ 1:45:34
Mallory RubinKramer vs. Kramer — Agrees divorce movies are Mount Rushmore level with this as number one, discusses Entenmann's products favorably, notes French Toast has starring role in multiple scenes▶ 1:48:06
Sean FennesseyRobert Benton — Uncertain about Hoffman (references previous Rain Man discussion), agrees on Benton getting two Oscars and number one movie, prefers The Squid and the Whale over this for divorce movies▶ 1:46:10
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsMeryl Streep — Meryl Streep - argues her character had to work or the movie would fall apart, and she springboards from this role to become the most celebrated screen actress▶ 2:01:12
Mallory RubinJustin Henry — Makes case for Billy (Justin Henry), arguing that a bad child actor performance would have ruined the movie▶ 2:01:37
Sean FennesseyDustin Hoffman — Hoffman - acknowledges it's hard not to say Hoffman because of his incredible performance and how audiences root for him▶ 2:00:31
Movies Referenced (39)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apocalypse Now (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 4:00 |
| The Whale (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:48:12 |
| All the President's Men (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 44:11 |
| Marriage Story (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:57 |
| Sideways (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 9:31 |
| Scenes from a Marriage (1974) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 17:44 |
| The Apartment (1960) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 34:25 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:02 |
| Charlie's Angels (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:38:07 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 36:44 |
| Good Time (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:04:27 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:30:27 |
Directors Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Benton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Kramer vs. Kramer, Bonnie and Clyde | ▶ 43:29 |
| Francis Ford Coppola | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Apocalypse Now, The Godfather Part II | ▶ 55:36 |
| Bob Fosse | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | All That Jazz | ▶ 54:55 |
| Woody Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Annie Hall | ▶ 15:11 |
| Peter Yates | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Breaking Away | ▶ 55:36 |
| Terrence Malick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Days of Heaven, The Tree of Life | ▶ 56:54 |
Actors Referenced (45)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Streep | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 51 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Out of Africa | ▶ 3:06 |
| Dustin Hoffman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Rain Man, Tootsie, Midnight Cowboy | ▶ 3:01 |
| Kate Jackson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 14:55 | |
| Jane Alexander | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Kramer vs. Kramer, The Cider House Rules, All the President's Men | ▶ 25:31 |
| Howard Duff | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | No Way Out, Kramer vs. Kramer | ▶ 1:41:58 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 54:23 |
| Justin Henry | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Kramer vs. Kramer, Sixteen Candles | ▶ 1:29:40 |
| Jimmy Kimmel | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:36:49 | |
| Adam Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:40:58 | |
| George Coe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Kramer vs. Kramer | ▶ 1:41:34 |
| Jane Fonda | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:09:46 | |
| John Cazale | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 37:19 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agatha Christie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 44:29 | |
| Avery Corman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Kramer vs. Kramer | ▶ 1:44:07 |
Cinematographers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 1:08:21 |
| Néstor Almendros | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Days of Heaven | ▶ 56:54 |
| Patricia Van Over | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Thin Red Line, Practical Magic | ▶ 54:05 |