Editing Kramer vs. Kramer (section)

==Reception==
''Kramer vs. Kramer'' received widespread critical acclaim upon release, with high praise for its direction, story, screenplay and performances of the cast, with major praise directed towards Hoffman and Streep's performances.

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|90|8.20|101|consensus=The divorce subject isn't as shocking, but ''Kramer vs. Kramer'' is still a thoughtful, well-acted drama that resists the urge to take sides or give easy answers. |access-date=March 11, 2025 |ref=yes}} It has a score of 77 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]], based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kramer vs. Kramer |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/kramer-vs-kramer/#google_vignette |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Metacritic}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film four stars, giving praise to Benton's screenplay. "His characters aren't just talking to each other, they're revealing things about themselves and can sometimes be seen in the act of learning about their own motives. That's what makes ''Kramer vs. Kramer'' such a touching film: We get the feeling at times that personalities are changing and decisions are being made even as we watch them."<ref name=ebert>{{cite news |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kramer-vs-kramer |title=Kramer vs. Kramer |access-date=April 29, 2010 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |first=Roger |last=Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=December 1, 1979 |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509172109/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kramer-vs-kramer |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called it a "fine, witty, moving, most intelligent adaptation of Avery Corman's best-selling novel", with Streep giving "one of the major performances of the year", and Hoffman "splendid in one of the two or three best roles of his career."<ref>{{cite news|last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=December 19, 1979 |url= https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/kramer-re.html |title=Screen: Kramer vs. Kramer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605020111/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/kramer-re.html |archive-date=2020-06-05 |url-status=live |work=[[The New York Times]] |page=C23}}</ref>

[[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' gave the film four stars out of four, and wrote, "''Kramer vs. Kramer'' never loses its low-key, realistic touch. You will sit at the end of the film wondering why we don't see more pictures like this. After all, its story is not all that unusual." He thought that Hoffman gave "one of his most memorable performances", and "should win the Academy Award next April".<ref>{{cite news|last=Siskel |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Siskel |date=December 19, 1979 |title=An American family on trial in the '70s |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |at=Section 3, pp. 1-2}}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote, "Stories on screen about men leaving women, and women leaving men have been abundant as of late, but hardly any has grappled with the issue in such a forthright and honest fashion as ''Kramer'' ... While a nasty court battle ensues, the human focus is never abandoned, and it's to the credit of not only Benton and Jaffe, but especially Hoffman and Streep, that both leading characters emerge as credible and sympathetic."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pollock |first=Dale |date=1979-11-28 |title=Kramer Vs. Kramer |url=https://variety.com/1979/film/reviews/kramer-vs-kramer-2-1200424569/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Charles Champlin]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' declared it "as nearly perfect a film as can be", and "a motion picture with an emotional wallop second to none this year."<ref>{{cite news|last=Champlin |first=Charles |author-link=Charles Champlin |date=December 16, 1979 |title=Kramer vs. Kramer: Living Anguished Realities |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=1}}</ref>

Gary Arnold of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' called the film "a triumph of partisan pathos, a celebration of father-son bonding that astutely succeeds where tearjerkers like ''[[The Champ (1979 film)|The Champ]]'' (1979) so mawkishly failed".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Arnold |first=Gary |date=2023-12-22 |title='Kramer vs. Kramer': The Family Divided |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1979/12/19/kramer-vs-kramer-the-family-divided/324fc867-1763-445e-9396-1ebfa89468ae/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

[[Stanley Kauffmann]] of ''[[The New Republic]]'' wrote, "All the people go through expected difficulties the way that runners take the hurdles in a track event: no surprise in it, it's just a question of how they do it. But the actors make it more."<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://newrepublic.com/article/98095/actors-kramer | title=Here Be Actors: A review of 'Kramer vs. Kramer' | first=Stanley | last=Kauffmann | author-link=Stanley Kauffmann | date=December 22, 1979 | magazine=[[The New Republic]] | access-date=June 4, 2020 | archive-date=August 3, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803104041/https://newrepublic.com/article/98095/actors-kramer | url-status=live }}</ref>

Shortly after the film's release, ''The New York Times'' and ''Time'' magazine published separate articles in which members of the bar and bench criticized the court battle scenes as "legally out of date". According to the legal experts interviewed for the articles, a modern judge would have made use of psychological reports, and also would have considered the wishes of the child. Another criticism was that the option of [[joint custody]] was never explored.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dullea |first=Georgia |date=December 21, 1979 |title=Child Custody: Jurists Weigh Film vs. Life |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/21/archives/child-custody-jurists-weigh-film-vs-life-fiction-and-fact.html |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The New York Times |page=B6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Law: Custody: Kramer vs. Reality |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=February 4, 1980 |page=77 |url= https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,954539,00.html |accessdate=2024-02-11}}</ref>

In 2003, ''The New York Times'' placed the film on its ''Best 1000 Movies Ever'' list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-04-29 |title=Movies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/section/movies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612032429/https://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html |archive-date=2008-06-12 |access-date=2020-09-27 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Box office===
''Kramer vs. Kramer'' grossed $5,559,722 in its opening week from 534 theaters.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Christmas Pix Are Perking; 'Star Trek,' 'Jerk' Pacing Field|last=Pollock|first=Dale|date=January 2, 1980|page=9}}</ref> It went on to gross $106.3 million in the United States and Canada.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=kramervskramer.htm | title=Kramer vs Kramer (1979) | website=Box Office Mojo | access-date=2008-11-17 | archive-date=2009-03-01 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301050024/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=kramervskramer.htm | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sternbergh |first=Adam |date=2014-10-03 |title=Why Was ''Kramer vs. Kramer'' the Top-Grossing Movie of 1979? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/10/how-did-kramer-vs-kramer-make-so-much-money.html |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |language=en}}</ref> In its first 13 weeks overseas, it grossed more than $67 million.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Kramer vs. Kramer (advertisement)|date=June 11, 1980|pages=10–11}}</ref> It went on to become Columbia's highest-grossing film overseas, with [[theatrical rental]]s of $57 million, until surpassed in 1990 by ''[[Look Who's Talking]]'' (released by Columbia TriStar internationally).<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=With $55-mil rentals, 'Look Who's Talking' becomes Col's No. 2 moneymaker o'seas|date=August 15, 1990|page=42}}</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| rowspan="9"| [[52nd Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
| [[Stanley R. Jaffe]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="9"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1980 |title=1980 Academy Awards |website=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |date=March 2022 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| [[Robert Benton]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[Dustin Hoffman]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| [[Justin Henry]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Jane Alexander]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Meryl Streep]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium]]
| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]
| [[Néstor Almendros]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]
| [[Gerald B. Greenberg]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Blue Ribbon Awards]]
| [[Blue Ribbon Awards|Best Foreign Language Film]]
| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="6"| [[34th British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| Stanley R. Jaffe
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="6"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1981/film/ |title=Film in 1981 {{!}} BAFTA Awards |website=[[British Academy Film Awards]] |access-date=February 11, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction|Best Direction]]
| Robert Benton
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress in a Leading Role]]
| Meryl Streep
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Robert Benton
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]
| Gerald B. Greenberg
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[6th César Awards|César Awards]]
| [[César Award for Best Foreign Film|Best Foreign Film]]
| rowspan="2"| Robert Benton
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref name="mubi">{{Cite web |url=https://mubi.com/en/films/kramer-vs-kramer/awards |title=Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) Awards & Festivals |website=[[Mubi (streaming service)|Mubi]] |access-date=February 17, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[David di Donatello|David di Donatello Awards]]
| [[David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film|Best Foreign Film]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref name="mubi" />
|-
| [[David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor|Best Foreign Actor]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Jack Lemmon]] for ''[[The China Syndrome]]''.}}
|-
| [[David di Donatello|Special David]]
| Justin Henry
| {{won}}
|-
| [[32nd Directors Guild of America Awards|Directors Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film|Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures]]
| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1970s/1979.aspx?value=1979 |title=Awards / History / 1979 |website=[[Directors Guild of America Awards]] |access-date=February 11, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Fotogramas de Plata]]
| rowspan="2"| Best Foreign Performer
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| 
|-
| Meryl Streep{{efn|Also for ''[[Manhattan (1979 film)|Manhattan]]''.}}
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="8"| [[37th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="8"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://goldenglobes.com/film/kramer-vs-kramer/ |title=Kramer vs. Kramer |website=[[Golden Globe Awards]] |access-date=February 11, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]]
| Justin Henry
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| Jane Alexander
| {{nom}}
|-
| Meryl Streep
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director – Motion Picture]]
| rowspan="2"| Robert Benton
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Motion Picture]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor|New Star of the Year – Actor]]
| Justin Henry
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Hochi Film Awards]]
| [[Hochi Film Award|Best International Picture]]
| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[Japan Academy Film Prize]]
| colspan="2"| [[Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film|Outstanding Foreign Language Film]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref name="mubi" />
|-
| [[Jupiter Award (film award)|Jupiter Awards]]
| Best International Actor
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| rowspan="4"| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Film
| rowspan="2"| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="4"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1970-79/ |title=KCFCC Award Winners – 1970-79 |website=Kansas City Film Critics Circle |date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=May 6, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| Best Director
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Actor
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Supporting Actress
| Meryl Streep
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Kinema Junpo|Kinema Junpo Awards]]
| Best Foreign Film
| rowspan="4"| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[Korean Association of Film Critics Awards]]
| Best Foreign Film
| {{won}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| rowspan="4"| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards 1979|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="4"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lafca.net/Years/1979.php |title=The 5th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards |website=[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] |access-date=May 6, 2024}}</ref> <br> <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QIRkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zH8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3194%2C3307384 |title=Kramer film named best of '79 |date=December 28, 1979 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |work=[[The StarPhoenix|The Phoenix]] |page=B6}}</ref>
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Meryl Streep{{efn|name=MAN/TYNAN|Also for ''[[Manhattan (1979 film)|Manhattan]]'' and ''[[The Seduction of Joe Tynan]]''.}}
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[National Board of Review Awards 1979|National Board of Review Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1979/|title=1979 Archives |website=[[National Board of Review]] |access-date=February 11, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Meryl Streep{{efn|name=MAN/TYNAN}}
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[National Society of Film Critics Awards 1979|National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film|Best Film]] 
| rowspan="2"| Robert Benton
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about-2/ |title=Past Awards |website=[[National Society of Film Critics]] |date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=May 6, 2024}}</ref> <br> <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/01/03/archives/national-film-critics-select-breaking-away.html |title=National Film Critics Select 'Breaking Away' |last=Maslin |first=Janet |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 3, 1980 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Jane Alexander
| {{nom}}
|-
| Meryl Streep{{efn|name=MAN/TYNAN}}
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[1979 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| rowspan="2"| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6vkgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DXUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1315%2C4381840 |title=Film critics vote top award for 'Kramer vs. Kramer' |date=December 22, 1979 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |work=[[The Day (New London)|The Day]] |pages=38}}</ref>
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Dustin Hoffman
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Jane Alexander
| {{nom}}
|-
| Meryl Streep{{efn|Also for ''[[The Seduction of Joe Tynan]]''.}}
| {{won}}
|-
| Online Film & Television Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Hall of Fame – Motion Picture
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oftaawards.com/film-hall-of-fame/film-hall-of-fame-productions/ |title=Film Hall of Fame: Productions |website=Online Film & Television Association |access-date=February 18, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| [[32nd Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium]]
| Robert Benton
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx |title=1980 Awards Winners |website=[[Writers Guild of America Awards]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=February 11, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[2nd Youth in Film Awards|Young Artist Awards]]
| [[Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film|Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film]]
| Justin Henry
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms2.htm |title=2nd Youth in Film Awards |website=[[Young Artist Award]]s |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910235952/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms2.htm |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=February 11, 2024}}</ref>
|}

;[[American Film Institute]] Lists
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies]] – Nominated<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies Nominees |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/movies400.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026011242/http://afi.com/Docs/100Years/movies400.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-26 |access-date=2011-12-10 |website=American Film Institute}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)]] – Nominated<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) Ballot |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/Movies_ballot_06.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316140929/https://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/Movies_ballot_06.pdf |archive-date=2013-03-16 |access-date=2011-12-10 |website=American Film Institute}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 10 Top 10]] – #3 Courtroom Drama<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFI's 10 Top 10 |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-10-top-10/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=American Film Institute |language=en}}</ref>