The Big Chill

1983 "The story of eight old friends searching for something they lost, and finding that all they needed was each other."
7.1| 1h45m| R| en| More Info
Released: 30 September 1983 Released
Producted By: Columbia Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Seven old college friends gather for a weekend reunion after the funeral of one of their own.

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Reviews

Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place
Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
Cissy Évelyne It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
frankwiener Every time I write a negative review for IMDb, I have to brace myself for negative feedback, sometimes in extreme form. Being a person of at least some strong principles and convictions, here goes anyway.More than anything else, Kevin Kline running around the streets of Beaufort, South Carolina in teeny, tiny running shorts symbolizes this truly sad effort most accurately. As a long distance runner for decades, even before this film was produced, I would never have the audacity to wear anything like those, and I felt very embarrassed for him every time he appeared in them, which was much too often. Suddenly, I realized how embarrassed I was for everyone else connected to this movie, and it wasn't only because of Kevin Kline's ridiculously small running shorts. By the way, does anyone know why the running shoes were delivered for the entire group in the first place? I saw a few people playing touch football, but they didn't need brand new running shoes to pursue that momentary activity.As one who attended two different Big Ten (now Big Fourteen) universities during the late 60's and early 70's, I could not relate to this film in any possible way. Admittedly, I was fiercely independent back in those days, so I never affiliated with a fraternity or any association that substituted for one, which is what this group appeared to be. The dialogue was often inane, shallow, and just outright monotonous to the point of tears. No offense to the French film aficionados of the world, but I have seen far too many French films in which a set of characters sit around and express their philosophy of life, as was the case here, so it is surprising that this movie was so successful among American audiences, including those who did not attend Big Ten universities in the late sixties, as I did, and even reached Oscar nominations not only for best picture (!) but for best writing, screenplay directly for the screen(!). Seriously? Was 1984 such a lean year for Hollywood? I'll have to look that up some time when I'm as bored as I was while watching this.As far as the acting was concerned, I have seen some of these folks in far better movies, so I'm not even going to comment about their individual performances. I felt very uncomfortable for them all as they were forced to recite such awful lines, and I rarely believed in any of their performances as I don't think that they believed in themselves under these deplorable circumstances. I'll even be kind to Meg Tillie by not dwelling on how much her mechanical and empty headed character especially and thoroughly annoyed me, and she wasn't the only one.In the end, we have a group of totally self-absorbed and self-obsessed baby boomers, a group of which I am a somewhat reluctant member, gathering to mourn one of their best friends who had just shockingly committed suicide for reasons that were never fully or properly explored. So, what did they do for most of the time? Lament ad nauseam over their own, selfish needs, desires, and shortcomings before suddenly erupting in dance to late sixties and early seventies songs that were quite honestly far from the best of so many possibilities that had been produced at the time. In fact, I found that the often abrupt transition of these songs not only served as an awkward focal point to an otherwise boring film but even disrupted, often disturbingly, whatever action was struggling to transpire on the screen. Although "Joy to the World" by Three Dig Night would have been one of my last choices from 1971 to close out this tedium, I was very happy in an odd way when it began because I realized that the fat lady, bless her heart, had finally appeared and that the entire, extremely weary ordeal was finally coming to a merciful end.I gave it a three only because of the picturesque on-site locale of Beaufort and the very pleasing surrounding South Carolina low country.
popcorninhell "No one ever said it would be fun. At least they never said it to me," says Richard (Galloway) the outsider of a group of college buddies now in their thirties. He talks about adulthood as if it's a rueful inevitability; less a right of passage than a chore. The rest of the ensemble cast of The Big Chill seem to be fighting what Richard has accepted. For better or worse, they all seem to be stuck; trying desperately to keep the torch of youth lit.The Big Chill starts with Harold (Kline) and Sarah Cooper (Close) preparing for bed in their idyllic South Carolina home. Sarah answers a phone call and is informed that their friend Alex killed himself in the bathtub of their vacation home. At the funeral, the couple's old University of Michigan friends reunite and decide to spend the weekend reminiscing. Among them is Sam (Berenger), a notable TV actor; Michael (Goldblum), a magazine journalist; Meg (Place), a single real estate attorney; Nick (Hurt), a war veteran with a cocaine addiction; Chloe (Tilly), Alex's much younger girlfriend and finally Karen (Williams) and Richard, an unhappily married couple. A lot has happened since the group had graduated and a lot can happen over the course of a weekend.While thematically very different than director Lawrence Kasdan's freshman effort Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill does show a similar affinity to character over story structure and pat resolutions. All the friends are brought to life by a stellar ensemble cast of talented actors. Mind you, there are no showy performances that demand Academy attention (though Glenn Close was nominated for Best Supporting Actress). Each player does their part to populate a delicate and bittersweet nostalgia trip that drifts like a raft down a rolling river. These are people you know, or at the very least, still images of who those people you know, used to be.Beneath the grieving, the sexual tension, the retrospect and the admittedly catchy jukebox soundtrack there's a deep sense of existential ennui that dominates the frame like a heavy fog. Today audiences will likely appreciate the characterizations but audiences at the time knew very well that these distinctive personalities are not just lamenting the death of their friend but the spirit of the 60's. Let's not forget that their alma mater was a counter-cultural Mecca that hosted the writers of the Port Huron Statement, the entourage of John Sinclair and free Sunday concerts at West Park. As time passed the hippies of the 60's became the yuppies of the 80's with the characters of The Big Chill are at once reminded that they bought in and the never seen Alex checked out.All that said however, The Big Chill for all it's understated emotion still collects the mephitis of popular American nostalgia. It's the kind of nostalgia that can simultaneously give Norman Rockwell paintings their cumulative heft yet give the most troublesome spots of Forrest Gump (1994) their chintzy glibness. You can't help but think by the time the credits roll, the characters have settled comfortably back into lives of quiet desperation yet self-congratulating themselves for "maturing". Only Nick seems to be bending in anyway towards the dulling flicker of dying idealism. But instead of the bitterness that was honestly realized in Return of the Secaucus 7 (1979) we get the upbeat vibes of "Jeremiah was a Bullfrog".All-in-all, The Big Chill is a decent film with fully realized characters worth following for an hour or two. While watching I wondered what would be my generation's Woodstock? Do we have any political organizations that explode with the controversial fervor of the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) or any musical idols that compare to Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix? Will our desire to create a more just and verdant world be fully realized or will we fall inattentive, indignant and distracted by new shoes and a few fond memories.
holograf it's pretty much a dialogue movie, which is OK, but the dialogue is very tightly scripted. every word so carefully thought out, that it's unrealistic. people, even good friends, simply don't talk and interact like that. as for the music, it seems the producers realized there wasn't much beef, so to add some meat to the bone they overlayed popular songs every once in a while to make it seem cool and fill the time. parts almost seemed like a music video.in summary, i would say it's OK to watch to see some actors that eventually became quite popular, before they were well known. but expect to say to yourself "omg this is ridiculous", every once in a while. also, as others have stated, don't expect much of a story.
Ersbel Oraph So Hollywood! You bring up a lot of names. You make a script. You pay for such a cast. But people are ready to come to see their stars. And pay for that too. Yet this one doesn't go as usual. The characters are more alive than the action. The funeral is only an excuse to get them all together and no time is wasted on off screen happenings.I enjoyed it. Than I thought to myself, hey! they are even breaking a few taboos in there. And the acting is real good. In the end, you get a family movie from the 80s. Nothing really bad happens. But does a movie really need something bad happening to tell the story? That made me enjoy it even after the curtain was down.Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch