I saw St. Elmo’s Fire for the first time in 1985, the summer it was released in theaters. This was the summer after I learned to drive, and for the first time, I had the freedom to go see a movie whenever I wanted (at least, whenever I could cajole my parents into loaning me the car). I probably went to at least one movie every week that summer, and I don’t remember disliking any of them, if that tells you how well my critical capacities were functioning.

Since then, I’ve seen several of those movies again. Some were just as good as I remembered. Others were disappointments. St. Elmo’s Fire falls somewhere in between. It’s not quite as wonderful as I thought it was the first time I saw it, but neither is it a bad movie.

The Plot

The movie follows a year in the lives of seven friends after they graduate from college.

Political go-getter Alec (Judd Nelson) wants to get married and begin a career. His girlfriend, Leslie (Ally Sheedy), however, says she isn’t ready for a long-term commitment. (“We just moved in together!”) Partly to punish Leslie, partly because he is tired of being the hyper-responsible “St. Alec,” Alec begins a series of affairs. Leslie discovers he is sleeping around, and their relationship hits a crisis.

Meanwhile, Kevin (Andrew McCarthy) is a cynical journalist with a monster case of writer’s block. By day, he writes obituaries for the local paper; by night he struggles to compose an essay on the meaning of life. Kevin is secretly infatuated with Leslie. And her floundering relationship with Alec gives him just the opening he needs to make his move.

Kirby (Emilio Estevez), also finds himself having troubles with romance when he meets up with Dale Beaverman (Andie MacDowell), a young woman he dated briefly his freshman year in college. All of his old feelings rekindled, Kirby does everything in his power to impress Dale, but she seems immune to his dubious charms.

Yet another plotline deals with Wendy (Mare Winningham) and her feelings for the most irresponsible member of the group, Billy (Rob Lowe). Wendy comes from a wealthy family. Her parents are pressuring her to marry an upper class entrepreneur. Billy is anything but her parents’ ideal. A frustrated saxophonist who can’t hold a job, he is married and has a small baby at home, though he does not seem to take his marriage vows very seriously. Wendy, however, thinks she sees something special in the guy and keeps on believing in him long after their other friends have given up hope of Billy ever making anything of himself.

Rounding out the group of friends is Jules (Demi Moore). On the surface, Jules is the one who has it all together—she is witty and outgoing, her fashion sense is impeccable, and she has an excellent job, having been recruited by a large bank right out of college. But scratch the surface, and Jules’s problems are perhaps the most serious of all. They include addictions to alcohol and drugs, attractions to powerful and dangerous men, problems with overspending, and a pathological relationship with her dying stepmother (“stepmonster,” as Jules calls her).

Torn by tangled relationships, in-fighting, and the demands of every day life, the friends slowly drift apart. But when one of them experiences a break down, the others come together to try to restore their old bond. Will they be friends forever? Or has the damage become irreparable?

What Works

St. Elmo’s Fire has a lot going for it. Although the actors involved became collectively known by the derisive term “brat pack,” the performances in this film range from competent to excellent. Demi Moore is especially noteworthy as the out-of-control Jules, and Rob Lowe turns in a convincing performance as an irresponsible man trying to pull his life together (then again, maybe he’s not acting). On the quieter end of the spectrum, Mare Winningham offers an elegantly understated performance as the shy, insecure Wendy.

The script, penned by Joel Schumacher and Carl Kurlander is clever, fun, and manages to touch on some serious issues without becoming too heavy-handed.

At the very beginning of the movie, for instance, Billy borrows Wendy’s new car and gets into an accident. The other friends rush to the hospital, and an exasperated Alec tells Billy he’s being arrested for drunk driving. “Drunk, definitely,” Billy mumbles, “but I don’t know if you could call it driving.”

A little later, Alec confides in Kevin about his unfaithfulness to Leslie.

Alec: Leslie has to marry me.

Kevin: Why? Are you pregnant?

And the two share their philosophies about life and relationships.

Kevin: The notion of two people spending their entire lives together was invented by people who were lucky to make it to twenty without being eaten by dinosaurs. Marriage is obsolete.

Alec: Dinosaurs are obsolete. Marriage is still around.

With so many characters and storylines, it would have been easy for this film to become bogged down. Director Joel Schumacher, however, is able to avoid this trap. Each of the characters is unique, the storylines are well-delineated, and each issue reaches some sort of resolution by the end of the movie.

What Doesn’t Work

Some of the movie’s solutions seem just a little too neat, and a couple of the characters make such fast 180-degree turn arounds it practically gives the viewer whiplash. In general, realism is sacrificed for the warm glow of a feel-good ending.

Note: This paragraph includes information about the resolution of one plot. If you don’t want to read it, please skip to the next paragraph. I find the plotline of Kirby’s infatuation with girl-of-his-dreams Dale rather disturbing. Much of what Kirby does constitutes stalking (e.g., spying on Dale, getting her class schedule so he can follow her, threatening her roommate with physical harm, etc.). And the resolution of this plot, Kirby grabbing Dale and kissing her forcefully and against her will, should have ended with Dale punching him in the nose instead of smiling dreamily into the camera.

I am also not pleased with the one gay character—Jules’s next door neighbor—who, in his one minute or less onscreen, manages to embody almost every stereotype of gay men you can imagine (e.g., is an interior designer, wears pink, comes on inappropriately to straight men, has a cat, has had cosmetic surgery and is vain about his looks, etc.).

Family Viewing?

St. Elmo’s Fire includes a couple of mild fight scenes, some rough language, and at least one scene of explicit sex.

I enjoyed it as a teenager, but it would probably be a good idea to steer pre-teens away from this one. It shouldn’t be too difficult—with a very low action/adventure factor, this is not the kind of movie young kids flock to.

Summary

St. Elmo’s Fire has its problems, but it is easy on the eyes (and the brain), the script is bitingly funny, and the acting is capable. Pop some popcorn, grab a coke, and enjoy this 1980s buddy/romance flick.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older