St. Elmo's Fire

St. Elmos Fire is a look at life of several friends who have just graduated college and are making the transition from frat parties and college football to real world decisions and backing up their degree. Although in hindsight this movie really isn't the best movie, I gave it a ten because at one time I could really relate to the characters sense of trying to redefine who they are. Demi Moore was definitely one of the weaker performances and you want to reach into the screen and smack her around for being such a half-wit snob. The rest of the cast did a really good job. The music from this movie is phenomenal. I think the reason I love this movie despite all its flaws is it makes me put my life in perspective and think about the friends and decisions I have made. Everytime I hear the love theme I can't help but feel sentimental. So all in all I gave it a hesitant 10 not for the performances, script or direction. I gave it a 10 because it hits home.

'St. Elmo's Fire' looks at life after college of seven best friends. Even though I didn't go to college in the 80s, the movie brought a lot of memories and I can still relate to many of the conflicts the characters experience. I don't understand why so many people disliked it. It's very much a character driven piece and while many argue that the they are self-absorbed but who isn't at least a little self-absorbed at that age? These characters are trying to find themselves in the 'new' real world of grown-ups. All seven friends are of distinct personalities and even though they are a little clichéd, they remain real and are well played. The friends include:

-Kirby (Emilio Estevez) who is so desperately 'in love' with a past love that he even changes himself to win her heart.

-Billy (Rob Lowe) who is talented, unstable and unpredictable -Kevin (Andrew McCarty) who is following a love that is with someone else.

-Jules (Demi Moore) who is the self-destructive flirtatious one striving to protect her outer image while she destroys herself internally.

-Alec (Judd Nelson) who is climbing the ladders of success and screwing 'nameless' and 'faceless' chicks while still desperate to marry his girlfriend to make his life perfect.

-Leslie (Ally Sheedy) is the girlfriend who wants to have a career of her own before settling down for marriage bliss.

-Wendy (Mare Winningham) who is the most selfless one, a frustrated virgin who is striving for independence and love.

The actors are brilliantly cast as they fit the parts physically (the right age and looks) and deliver sincere performances. I won't single anyone out as I thought they all did excellent. The supporting cast does not have much scope except for Andie McDowell (who is quite bad).

The 80s were known to be a wild and reckless decade for the young ones where it was all about rock and roll, big hair and felt-tips. Foster's soundtrack wonderfully adds to that nostalgic feel of that decade.

Through their lives, Schumacher presents different themes such as drugs, alcohol, sex, loyalty, etc. It sounds like just another one of 'those' movies but here it is dealt with in a very real and easily relatable way rather than being overdone. Everyone will recognize at least a couple of the conflicts the characters face. I loved the way it ended. There is no definitive conclusion. Instead, what is shown is that the characters are aware that now it is time to grow up and to build their own lives while an uncertain future awaits. It's a great movie.

I think Joel Schumacher gets a bad rap. Sure Batman & Robin is possibly the worst movie ever made, and it did kill a multi-million dollar franchise, but is that truly all we think about on the mention of his name? I myself will admit to keeping a stigma of hack whenever Schumacher is talked about, however, along with some decent films of late, his track record in the 80's was full of pure, nostalgic gems. I finally got the opportunity to check out one of my mother's favorite films, St. Elmo's Fire. Made at the height of Brat Pack fame, this film really gets the angst of college graduation and the life of responsibility and work that waits in the future right. While not as quotable or memorable as say The Breakfast Club, Schumacher still is able to take a moment in the youth of society and make something meaningful out of it. Maybe I can relate to it having just graduated from college two years ago, but I think that it would be relevant later on as well. Even if not, it is an accomplishment to last over twenty years and still be relatable to someone in that same position in the present day.

So the film is chock full of stereotypes and clichés, does that make it not true? We have our striver for fame and notoriety at the expense of his ideals, the girlfriend who wants to make a career before settling down as a stay at home mother, the troubled artist who can't leave school behind for a real life, the self-obsessed flirt who would rather self-destruct than ruin the façade she has worked so hard to build, the love-struck indecisive one stalking a past love and changing himself to try and win her over, and the confused souls not quite sure what they want to do with their new independence. We have the drug use, the sleeping around, the comradery, and the heartbreak. Through it all, though, you can really buy into it and see moments in your own life that mirror the events on screen almost perfectly. I think a lot of this has to do with the times and the ability to use actors that are actually the age of the characters they are playing. This is a film about 23 year olds trying to find themselves, and the authenticity of having people that age, going through those things in their real lives, helps the performances to be truthful. Nowadays this would have been changed to a post- high school story with the 18 year olds played by actors 25 or older. It's the vulnerability and the childlike appearance that makes you buy into the story and want to follow it to the end to see if the friendships can remain intact.

The star-filled cast does a great job throughout, and a film like this makes you wonder where these guys have gone. An actress like Ally Sheedy, who had the talent and the looks, pretty much fell off the map once the 80's came to a close. It is her and Andrew McCarthy that really carry the film. He is another that disappeared after Weekend at Bernie's. It is always nice to see this troupe of acting talent and what they were capable of in their prime. Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, and Judd Nelson are all pitch-perfect in their roles along with Mare Winningham playing the friend that is so totally different from everyone else in the group, yet believable because we all have a friend like that. The only weak spot, in my opinion, is Rob Lowe, who at many times seems a bit out of his element as the drunk, party guy cracking jokes and getting into trouble. I don't discount his performances totally, though, because when he has moments of clarity, like when he talks Moore down after her total collapse, he is really excellent.

Everyone goes through a moment of time in his/her life like the characters on screen in St. Elmo's Fire. Schumacher should be given credit for giving us a poignant study into the lives of those souls on the cusp of a new chapter in life and the decisions that need to be made to continue forward without regrets for what is left behind. The dialogue is realistic and it all ends in a conclusion that makes sense in the scheme of the character's evolutions. Your friends will always be there for you, through thick and thin, however, as you grow older, the roles each play in your life changes. Getting older doesn't mean severing ties to the past, but instead a restructuring of it to keep you strong and moving towards the future.

This movie was the cliché post college life of the 1980's, the life every one read about, saw on television or what was told it should be. It fit right in to the very interesting 80's format. Although, this movie is also strongly "Brat Pack" driven and if you don't know or can't relate to these actors the movie doesn't stand a chance. It's not bad, just chummy, overly dramatic loathsome characters carried by well liked actor credentials of the time. Typical coming of age flick for over privileged college kids with some interesting character twists throughout. A very early glimpse of a young Demi Moore is of pertinent interest, Judd Nelson delivers, Emilio does his Emilio thing and of course, there's Rob Lowe. A quintessential 80's film. A rainy day check it out flick.

A few comments here have slammed this movie for being shallow, despite decent performers. Maybe this is not 100% similar to real life. But it does have some parallels, and except for the Judd Neldon character (rather annoying) it is realistic and comedic in some aspects.

Demi Moore as Jules is simply lost in denial borrowing money to keep up an image of success. They are 26 years old and have no clue what is in store. Andrew McCarthy likable and sympathetic. Ally Sheedy, just okay. Rob Lowe is very good as irresponsible Billy, involved with Mare Winningham, the resident unattractive 'old standby' girlfriend.

There are some scenes reminiscent of a frat party. A few scenes with Emilio Estevez, pursuing a pipe-dream romance with Andie McDowell. Basically it addresses recent graduates floundering, attempting different careers and lifestyles, affairs and obsessions. It catches that time period most of us had, when we thought we were so significant in the world, not yet jaded, still trying to find meaning and hope. The Winningham character particularly conveys the aspect of the screenplay. When her father (Martin Balsam) tells her to just get married settle down and have a greeting card franchise (like the rest of her family) No I am committed to my real job, she says as she works as a social worker, still trying to have an affect.

Similar to the later Generation X issues, and the now sense of alienation, everyone goes through similar growing pains, whether 80's materialism, 90's nihilism ('Reality Bites') or today's general alienation and violence. The issues are the same, the culture just manifests them a bit differently. 8/10