The Big ChillMost people don't notice it when it comes, but later...one night, you're at home, comfortable in the routine of domesticity, the patterns of adulthood, the responsibilities and the status quo, and it hits you: your youth is over...the "big chill" has swept over you, and you've been too numb to notice until a spark of nostalgia rekindles the flame. The Big Chill is a character-driven drama about the reunion of a group of erstwhile friends, brought together once more over the tragic death of their friend, Alex. In his passing, they rediscover the missing ingredient in their adult lives, reminded of their passionate youth and what was sacrificed on the altar of "growing up".
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What strikes me as fascinating about The Big Chill is that for a movie from the Eighties, about a reunion of friends who reminisce about the Sixties, the film has the air of timelessness about it. The emotions and struggles to grapple with the passing of their friend is authentic, and puts you there with the gathering, as they wax nostalgic about their times what came before. It is a story about how the past defined these people, and continues to do so by virtue of their adamantine bonds. The title describes the sense one finds when they settle down in life, when the flames of youth cool in favor of the stability of adulthood; it's hard, if not impossible, to live one's life in the redline. It is a kind of death, a transition, even a rebirth, and all of the characters are made aware of this in the wake of Alex's death, gathered at the summer house of Harold Cooper (Kevin Kline) and his wife, Sarah (Glenn Close). The sense that one generation has already yielded to the next is felt from the first shots of the Cooper's son in the bathtub, singing "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night. Speaking of which, the soundtrack of The Big Chill has been described as another character in the film, as it binds the players together and recalls the nostalgia of the Sixties, that time in their lives which meant so much to them; this is, of course, very appropriate as reunions are all about nostalgia. In fact, most of the scenes with these songs feature all of the characters in The Big Chill, either together or separated if only by space, but not in spirit. It shows the spirit of their youth, binding them together, their love a concrete thing, even when cynicism and acquiescence threatens to dissolve it. One great scene which illustrates this is when Sam (Tom Berenger) and Nick (William Hurt) walk in on Richard (Don Galloway) making himself a sandwich in the middle of the night, while their friend and his wife, Karen (JoBeth Williams), is asleep. He passively lectures Sam and Nick about Alex's suicide, and it's apparent to them then that the "big chill" is the death of the soul, something to be vehemently opposed; perhaps they will heed that voice inside still begging to be heard.
The Big Chill opens with an almost miraculously elegant montage, introducing the body of Alex being dressed; incidentally, Kevin Costner plays Alex, although any scenes where one would recognize him were cut from the final release. Even if we might suspect this body were alive, the varied reactions of the characters introduced without names but their response to the news tells all. And if that was not enough, the chilling shot of the three vertical cuts on Alex's wrist--concealed by his shirt cuff--seals the deal; the party's over. At Alex's funeral, Harold makes mention of how he "knows" Alex. Throughout the course of the film, though we see virtually nothing of their late friend, we come to know Alex by virtue of their reminiscence of their compatriot and how they cope with his loss. Conversations vary between raucous and jovial, to heartfelt and intimate. Aside from simply coping, the characters use their weekend at the summer house to reassess their own lives, coming to terms with the demons haunting them. Sometimes they do this by using a video camera to record themselves in a state of confession, and rewatch it to learn something about themselves. For a film filled with tons of montages set to music, my favorite would be the scene following the arrival of the running shoes ordered by Harold from his company for his guests. Batches of characters emerge from the long night of telling stories of their past to one another, dancing, partying, and so on. Some hint at their conflicts, such as the somewhat jealous questioning of Meg (Mary Kay Place) by Karen, since she knows Meg propositioned Sam to help her have a baby. Nick puts on his red running shoes, and declares them to be so comfortable that he will never take them off again. And after all others have exited the kitchen, we find Sarah and Michael (Jeff Goldblum) recovering from the effects of the drugs they took the night before, evidence of how the body struggles to keep up as it did in the "old days". The Big Chill is a heartfelt drama about the importance of friendship and of remembering the things which meant so much to you in the past, and more importantly, why it matters. Sometimes to go forward, one must look back.
Recommended for: Fans of a jog down memory lane, even if it isn't your road. It's a good film to watch for people who like a lot of classic rock scoring the scenes, and can relate to the heart-to-heart conversations and relationships that make up the foundation of ourselves and the experiences which led us to become who we are.
The Big Chill opens with an almost miraculously elegant montage, introducing the body of Alex being dressed; incidentally, Kevin Costner plays Alex, although any scenes where one would recognize him were cut from the final release. Even if we might suspect this body were alive, the varied reactions of the characters introduced without names but their response to the news tells all. And if that was not enough, the chilling shot of the three vertical cuts on Alex's wrist--concealed by his shirt cuff--seals the deal; the party's over. At Alex's funeral, Harold makes mention of how he "knows" Alex. Throughout the course of the film, though we see virtually nothing of their late friend, we come to know Alex by virtue of their reminiscence of their compatriot and how they cope with his loss. Conversations vary between raucous and jovial, to heartfelt and intimate. Aside from simply coping, the characters use their weekend at the summer house to reassess their own lives, coming to terms with the demons haunting them. Sometimes they do this by using a video camera to record themselves in a state of confession, and rewatch it to learn something about themselves. For a film filled with tons of montages set to music, my favorite would be the scene following the arrival of the running shoes ordered by Harold from his company for his guests. Batches of characters emerge from the long night of telling stories of their past to one another, dancing, partying, and so on. Some hint at their conflicts, such as the somewhat jealous questioning of Meg (Mary Kay Place) by Karen, since she knows Meg propositioned Sam to help her have a baby. Nick puts on his red running shoes, and declares them to be so comfortable that he will never take them off again. And after all others have exited the kitchen, we find Sarah and Michael (Jeff Goldblum) recovering from the effects of the drugs they took the night before, evidence of how the body struggles to keep up as it did in the "old days". The Big Chill is a heartfelt drama about the importance of friendship and of remembering the things which meant so much to you in the past, and more importantly, why it matters. Sometimes to go forward, one must look back.
Recommended for: Fans of a jog down memory lane, even if it isn't your road. It's a good film to watch for people who like a lot of classic rock scoring the scenes, and can relate to the heart-to-heart conversations and relationships that make up the foundation of ourselves and the experiences which led us to become who we are.