I remember seeing this movie when I was a 20-something working like a dog at my career and trying to hang onto some friends from school while desperately pursuing and advanced degree in carnal knowledge. (Hey, most of us do at some point but few admit it.) I remember watching the movie as a VHS tape rental with my father when I was home one weekend. When it was over he stood up to hit the rewind button and said “That movie kind of sucked, didn’t it?” “No, I thought it was great!” I responded. “Well I thought it sucked” was his final response.
Therein lies the boundary with “The Big Chill.” If you are like my father and never went to college, you thought it sucked. If you went to college and had been out long enough to see your friends starting to drift apart, you totally related to this movie. The “Movies!” network ran “The Big Chill” late Monday evening and I stayed up to watch it. Even with the cussing blotted out, this movie is still both great and profound. I totally encourage you Millenials who have been out of school for a few (5) years to watch this movie. You don’t even have to rent it, the Movies! channel will be running it a few times this month if their typical pattern holds true. Ideally you should watch this with what is left of your friends from college.
This movie is really about the timeless drift all of us face. Speaking as one who is much closer to life’s great checkout counter than you young Millenial, I can tell you that drift is huge. Friends from college I used to go out drinking with every weekend and playing poker with a few times per month, (usually on Sunday nights because there was nothing to do on Sundays, no Internet and yes, cable TV sucked even back then) have drifted off into the “never see them” ether. There are really only2 left from that group. We exchange Christmas cards. One of them got remarried a few years ago and it was the first time the 3 of us were face to face in years.
On a more “guy” note, pay close attention to the kitchen scene where everyone was dancing. Those pants need to thank wardrobe for assigning them to Glenn Close each and every day of their existence. I honestly don’t think I notice that when I was younger.
More to the industry point, take a look at the cast list. Just click down the list and scan their filmographies. You have all seen something those lists. These were and still are highly gifted actors who continue to do fine works. In truth, they were just kids themselves when they made this movie.
“The Big Chill” came out in 1983. It is just as relevant in 2017 as it was then, perhaps more so.
