OVERLAY REPORT

The plot of the 1979 film *Kramer vs. Kramer* is set in motion by a specific sequence of actions involving career advancement, a marital breakdown, and a sudden abandonment. The following specific details outline these events: ### 1. Ted’s Career Triumph The film opens by establishing the "workaholic" nature of **Ted Kramer** (Dustin Hoffman). On the very day the plot begins, Ted is at his Manhattan advertising firm, celebrating landing a massive new account (an airline). His boss, Jim, implies that this success puts Ted on the fast track to becoming a partner in the firm. This professional high point serves as a sharp contrast to the domestic crisis waiting at home, highlighting Ted's preoccupation with work over his family. ### 2. Joanna’s Final Decision While Ted is at the office, his wife **Joanna** (Meryl Streep) is shown at home, clearly in the midst of a psychological crisis. The film's first shot is a tight close-up of her face as she says goodbye to their six-year-old son, **Billy**, while he sleeps. She is shown packing a suitcase and including a small, stained t-shirt belonging to Billy—a detail emphasizing her emotional turmoil and the fact that she is leaving her life behind. ### 3. The Confrontation and Departure The plot officially "moves" when Ted arrives home late, bursting with excitement about his promotion. The following specific actions occur: * **The Disconnect:** Ted is so focused on his career that he ignores Joanna's distress. He immediately heads for the phone to call the office, barely listening as she tells him she is leaving. * **The Hand-off:** To prove her seriousness, Joanna lays out her apartment keys, American Express card, Bloomingdale’s credit card, and checkbook on the table. She informs him she has taken exactly **$2,000** from their joint savings—the amount she originally brought into the marriage. * **The Ultimate Catalyst:** The most significant action that drives the rest of the film is Joanna’s decision to **leave without Billy**. She tells a stunned Ted in the hallway by the elevator that she is "no good" for their son and that he is better off without her. She steps into the elevator and leaves, effectively making Ted a single parent in an instant. ### 4. Immediate Consequences (The "French Toast" Scene) The first morning after her departure serves as the functional start of the new status quo. Ted’s total incompetence as a father is displayed through specific actions: * He doesn't know what grade Billy is in. * He tries to make French toast but has no idea how; he famously attempts to mix the egg batter in a coffee mug and tries to shove a full slice of bread into it, eventually burning the meal and nearly starting a fire. These actions transition the film from a story about a failing marriage into a drama about a father struggling to raise his son alone, which eventually leads to the central legal battle when Joanna returns 15 months later.