Episode 279 - Ordinary People (w/ BFF of the BFE: Ariannah Who Loves BFE the Most™)

“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
Nate The Great
Rev Bruce
Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
Richard
Ryan Kuketz
Dirk Diggler
Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
NorfolkDomus
John Humphrey's Right Foot
Timmy Tim Tim
Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.