--- title: "Kramer vs. Kramer: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/kramer-vs-kramer/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/kramer-vs-kramer" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Kramer vs. Kramer (1979): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 10 reviews: 9 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Kramer vs. Kramer, with nine of the ten reviews praising its treatment of divorce and parenthood. The strongest agreement concerns the performances: Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep receive repeated praise, while Justin Henry is also recognised for his contribution to the film’s emotional force. The reviews value Robert Benton’s intelligent, compassionate writing and direction, particularly the attention to credible behaviour and everyday family detail. Several find it deeply moving without needing a larger scale. The reservations concern how convincingly the drama holds together beyond those performances. The Guardian admires the father-son scenes and Nestor Almendros’s cinematography but questions the courtroom portrayal and ending; The AV Club notes dated elements. The spread is wide chiefly because of Empire, the lone negative review, which regards the film as glossy soap opera despite admiring Hoffman and Streep. The disagreement is about dramatic substance rather than acting quality. ## Los Angeles Times — Charles Champlin Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 16 December 1979. The film is as nearly perfect as can be in its size, with masterful performances and emotional wallop that make it the most satisfying picture of the year. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/story/2022-08-26/from-the-archives-kramer-vs-kramer-living-anguished-realities) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Arthur Knight Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2016. The critic hails the film for its wisdom, insight, compassion, and sensitivity to contemporary family issues. Benton’s screenplay and direction, along with standout performances from Hoffman, Streep, and young Justin Henry, are singled out as making it an emotionally and dramatically satisfying event. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kramer-kramer-1979-review-957496/) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 1979. The critic finds Benton's adaptation fine, witty, moving and intelligent, a Manhattan story that speaks for a generation about fathers, sons, husbands and wives, with a central focus on the muddled mother. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/19/archives/screen-kramer-vs-kramereast-side-story.html) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 October 2014. The article calls the film great and an acting clinic, crediting Hoffman, Streep, and supporting players for its impact. It highlights the story’s emotional depth and the child actor’s performance as key strengths amid its discussion of the film’s box-office success. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/10/how-did-kramer-vs-kramer-make-so-much-money.html) ## The New Yorker — Roger Angell Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 1979. The film excels in its attention to realistic detail and performances that chart major character changes; it is a nearly perfect miniature that is deeply moving despite modest ambitions. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1979/12/24/getting-things-right) ## Variety — Dale Pollock Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 1979. The perceptive, touching and intelligent film about family dissolution is a tribute to Benton and the leads, focusing on credible people rather than stereotypes with strong box-office appeal. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1979/film/reviews/kramer-vs-kramer-2-1200424569/) ## The AV Club — Tom Breihan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2020. The piece positions the film as a culturally resonant divorce drama that balances emotional intensity with brisk pacing and strong performances. It singles out Streep’s nuanced portrayal of Joanna and the film’s effective depiction of family rupture and reconciliation for praise, despite noting some dated elements. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/4-decades-before-marriage-story-a-quintessential-divor-1841329827) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2019. The critic views the film as a flawed but deserving classic with immense sensitivity and heart about parenthood and divorce. They single out the father-son bonding scenes and Nestor Almendros's cinematography for praise while noting issues with the court portrayal and ending. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/dec/11/kramer-vs-kramer-film-classic) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The film is viewed in retrospect as little more than a glossy soap opera passed off as serious drama, despite its initial popularity and strong performances from Hoffman and Streep. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/kramer-vs-kramer-review/) ## /Film — Akos Peterbencze Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 December 2025. The critic praises the film's enduring emotional power and intelligence in depicting divorce, single parenting, and family upheaval, highlighting Dustin Hoffman's transformative performance as the heart of the story. They note that while it may no longer be a frequent topic of conversation, its impact and relevance remain undiminished. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2022611/dustin-hoffman-meryl-streep-movie-kramer-vs-kramer-spoke-generation-forgotten/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/kramer-vs-kramer.md