St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
 
Short: Following seven friends after their graduation from college.  Kirby (Emilio Estevez) is working as a waiter at their local while trying to woo an older doctor (Andie MacDowell); Billy (Rob Lowe) is an alcoholic with a wife, kid, and wandering eye, missing his glory days at the fraternity; Kevin (Andrew McCarthy) is a permanently single journalist forever obsessing about his “notes”; Jules (Demi Moore) is having an affair with her boss and a vial of cocaine; Alec’s (Judd Nelson) become a young Republican and wants to get married to Leslie (Ally Sheedy), who isn’t ready for that step; and Wendy (Mare Winningham)’s parents want her to marry a nice man and quit her job while she seeks more independence. 
 
It’s actually not very confusing or involved, but it can be difficult to write out seven different intersecting plot lines. 
 
I don’t know why, but I honestly feel like this is the best brat pack movie I have ever seen.  It’s probably not, in truth, the best.  It was, however, the best to me while I was watching it.  So much so that I kind of wish I owned it. 
 
I think that might have something to do with the fact that I get it.  I know that there isn’t much to get in a brat pack movie on their best days, but I would still venture to say that I “get” this one. 
 
See, most of the other ones are set in high school, including another one that came out that same year starring three of these uni grads (ha!).  I find that their high school experiences are largely different than mine, and, while I enjoy them and can relate to elements of them, they don’t really resonate with me the way that they probably should. 
 
The idea of being at a loss after I receive my diploma, however, makes perfect sense to me.  Also, have a somewhat incestual, close-knit group of friends makes a lot of sense to me as well. 
 
In any case, I admit that the movie’s actually not very good.  Lowe, for example, while one of my favourite parts while he was on The West Wing, is so bad here.  I don’t blame him, though. 
 
I blame Joel Schumacher (writer/director) and Carl Kurlander (writer).  Kurlander went on to write Saturday morning tween shows where all problems (including drug addictions) can be solved within half an hour, so I can’t say that I’m surprised. 
 
Schumacher, on the other hand, is the most confusing writer/director ever.  What does he want?  Why can’t he make movies that make sense or are in some way linked?  I can’t make head or tails of him.  He makes a good movie; he makes three crap movies.  Make up your mind, buddy!
 
I think that this is going to make the cut on my guilty pleasures list.  It’s predictable and a little overboard at times, but it really hit the spot when I saw it.
 
Of course, I had just watched 2 war movies.  That might have had something to do with it.