A group of seven former college friends gather for a week-end reunion at a South Carolina vacation home after the funeral of another of their college friends.
A struggling young writer finds his life and work dominated by his unfaithful wife and his radical feminist mother, whose best-selling manifesto turns her into a cultural icon.
Director:
George Roy Hill
Stars:
Robin Williams,
Mary Beth Hurt,
Glenn Close
A seminal Thirty-Something movie in which a group of old college friends who are now older and experienced come together for the funeral of Alex, who was at one time the brightest and the best of them at college and yet who never managed to find his way. The friends use the occasion to reacquaint themselves with each other, discuss where their lives have led and speculate on what happened to their idealism which had been abundant when they were younger.Written by
Mark Thompson <mrt@oasis.icl.co.uk>
This picture and the same year's Psycho II (1983) were the breakthrough film roles of actress Meg Tilly. See more »
Goofs
As the movie opens an older couple is walking up to the church, but both were clearly standing still arm in arm until they got their [late] cue to walk. See more »
Quotes
Karen:
So, you and Alex were living here?
Chloe:
We have a room downstairs. Well we did. I do. I'm the one who found him.
Karen:
Oh God. It must have been awful.
Chloe:
It was, it was a real mess.
Karen:
So, what are you gonna do now?
Chloe:
Oh, we cleaned it up.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Other scenes cut/altered for the Network version:
Michael unpacking condoms was cut.
The shot of Sarah in the shower was an alternate angle, and it is also reframed.
The entire scene late at night on the first night with Sam, Nick, and Richard not being able to sleep was cut.
The scene with Sarah talking on the phone to her daughter, and remarking "I can't believe what I hear myself say!" was cut.
The scene with Sam and Karen in the grocery store was cut. Because of this, to save the continuity, the second scene of Meg and Sarah in the kitchen is shown in the place of the grocery store scene, instead of being between the outdoor scene with Harold and Michael and the scene with Chloe and Nick in the cabin.
Michael's line, "Outside is just one big toilet" is cut, as is him zipping up just before he says this.
Sam saying "Jesus" after everyone goes to the living room to watch JT Lancer is cut.
The last part of the sequence where everyone clears the table while dancing to "Aint to Proud to Beg", with Sam talking in the dining room, was cut.
Most of the jogging scene with Sam, Nick, and Harold is cut. It goes from the shot of the sunrise to the door closing on the van.
The Second half of the scene with Sam and Karen on the dock was cut-the scene ends with Karen saying "It's not like talking to you".
While arguing over the football play, Sam says "What the hell are you talking about!" rather than "What the fuck are you talking about!".
Harold tells the cop to "Beat the hell out of" Nick rather than "Beat the shit out of" him. Later in that same scene, Harold says "I don't need this, Nick" rather than "I don't need this shit".
At the dinner table, in the original, Sarah said "Jesus, even fortune cookies are getting cynical!". In the TV print, the word "Jesus" is muted.
Meg says "I feel stupid in ten different ways" rather than "I feel shitty in ten different ways".
The shot of Harold and Meg having sex on the bed was deleted, as was the shot of Sam and Karen making out on the ground outside.
The Big Chill tells the story of eight friends who come together after the suicide of one of the best of them. They are all searching for something they lost. They find that all they needed was each other.
This film launched the careers of a lot of stars. The best performances in the movie were some of the actors and actresses that mainstreamed Hollywood for years to com. Glen Close, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Berenger, Kevin Kline, and William Hurt were the best.
The movie defines a generation. And the movie defines a part of life that we all reach where the questions we ask have no answers.
The Big Chill is a great film to watch when you are looking for happiness in a sad place. One of my friends died recently and I stumbled upon this movie soon afterward. It is a movie that never should be remade because along with defining a generation it speaks across generations. I have a feeling that this movie will find you when you need it. Just don't pass it by.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
The Big Chill tells the story of eight friends who come together after the suicide of one of the best of them. They are all searching for something they lost. They find that all they needed was each other.
This film launched the careers of a lot of stars. The best performances in the movie were some of the actors and actresses that mainstreamed Hollywood for years to com. Glen Close, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Berenger, Kevin Kline, and William Hurt were the best.
The movie defines a generation. And the movie defines a part of life that we all reach where the questions we ask have no answers.
The Big Chill is a great film to watch when you are looking for happiness in a sad place. One of my friends died recently and I stumbled upon this movie soon afterward. It is a movie that never should be remade because along with defining a generation it speaks across generations. I have a feeling that this movie will find you when you need it. Just don't pass it by.