ST. ELMO'S FIRE

I wasn't a big fan. Frankly, the only reason that Less Than Zero is regarded slightly better is because RDJ crushed it in that latter film.

Folks didn't like the Brat Pack as adult characters nearly as much as when they were high schoolers. Plus, the writing and direction dropped off as well.

St. Elmo's fire is peak yuppie. I can't really relate.

I think the story is relate-able. Not the Georgetown part, but being right out of college trying to figure shite out.

the "Little Chill"

I was several years out of college but could still relate to it. I liked it.

Its such a strange movie for the time.

White Yuppies, graduates of freaking Georgetown in the Reaganomics era and nobody can get a good job?

Its a fun movie, especially the Mighty Duck man's story arc going after prime Andie MacDowell.

But it would be sadly trashed if it came out today as white privilege problems and all that sort of pre-Big Chill angst. Its totally a time-capsule movie. Transports you back.

Funniest thing about this movie was that it came out MONTHS after The Breakfast Club but shared three (3) cast members: Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson. In The Breakfast Club they are playing high school students, but in St. Elmo's Fire they are playing recent college grads.

The movie was meh, but looking back on it, the only decent person/character in the movie was Andie McDowell as the doctor. Judd Nelson's young yuppie was a jerk and cheater, Demi Moore was an irresponsible slutty head case having affairs with married men who also came on to the attached Rob Lowe and Judd Nelson; Rob Lowe was an immature hedonistic drunk who ignored his wife and child, Andrew McCarthy was the type of wimpy, smug misanthrope who would ash his cigarette in your dinner when you weren't looking, Emilio Estevez was a sappy dorky loser who was in over his head in everything he did; Mare Winingham was a totally unbelievable dowdy virgin but has no problem with saying yes to fooling around with the married Rob Lowe character; and Ally Sheedy's character was barely there and bland as butter, just an object of desire to Judd Nelson and Andrew McCarthy and confidant to the other two women.

Gooble Demi Moore hair diaper.

quote:

---

quote:Mare Winingham was a totally unbelievable dowdy virgin

I always felt that if this story took place in real life, she would never be part of a friend group like that.

---

The group itself is a kinda odd fit, especially with Billy being married with a baby, which fact stuck out like a sore thumb. I don’t recall much in the way of backstory other than some references made in dialogue.

Not the best coming of age film, but the song is one of the best of the "movie songs" of that decade for sure. Hard to beat Danger Zone in Top Gun, might be the best of all time.