All he really wants, as he points out to Frank at the beginning of the film, is “I just want to be like everybody else. I want a decent job, I want a decent place to live, I want somebody to love me, I want clothes on my back and have some self-respect.” Seems simple, but when you’ve been institutionalized for the VAST MAJORITY of your life, it is almost impossible to “be like everybody else.”

 

Straight Time expresses this reality clearly and most painfully.That’s what makes you empathize with him.You cannot judge these characters like you would in a film made today.That is because you, the audience, were so respected by the real actors, writers and directors of the time that they wanted to present you with characters without pre-packaged lives that are spelled out for you 

 

That would allow you the luxury of USING YOUR BRAIN and THINKING about what is behind these people rather than being TOLD what they are and how you should feel like INFANTS. Sorry to break it to you ladies and gents, but the majority of films made today are made because you are considered to be a bunch of stupid primates with little to no attention span and absolutely NO DESIRE to use your imagination or brain AT ALL.

 

While Hoffman is the central figure and dominates the screen, his supporting cast magnificently pulls their weight. Russell, Busey, Stanton and Walsh all create unforgettable characters that you may or may not like but you’ll feel strongly about them one way or another when the film ends. Hoffman is simply astounding as Max Dembo.