Ordinary People (1980) — Screenplay
A grieving teenager struggles with guilt and his mother's coldness while his father tries to keep their fractured family together.
- Written by
- Judith Guest, Alvin Sargent
- Genre
- Drama
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Length
- 125 pages
This screenplay offers a masterclass in restrained emotional dialogue and nuanced character development, revealing family tension through what is left unsaid. Its focused point-of-view on each family member creates a powerful, slow-burn study of grief and resilience.
Read the full Ordinary People (1980) screenplay in PDF, page by page, right here on Laper — or download the original script to study Judith Guest, Alvin Sargent’s scene work, dialogue and structure at your own pace. A free resource for screenwriters and film students learning Hollywood script format.