Film Reviews

Posted: Mon., Dec. 31, 1984, 11:00pm PT

St. Elmo's Fire

Columbia-Delphi IV/Channel. Director Joel Schumacher; Producer Lauren Shuler; Screenplay Joel Schumacher, Carl Kurlander; Camera Stephen H. Burum; Editor Richard Marks; Music David Foster (sup.); Art Director William Sandell
Rob Lowe Demi Moore Andrew McCarthy Judd Nelson Ally Sheedy Emilio Estevez
St. Elmo's Fire is all about a group of recent college graduates in Washington who were always the best of friends but now are drifting apart as real life approaches, discovering various reasons why they are so individually obnoxious.

Rob Lowe is a saxophone player who refuses to assume any adult responsibility. The rest of the gang befriends him, especially virginal Mare Winningham, who's a social worker by trade anyway.

The other major problem is beautiful, coked-out Demi Moore who lives in a pink apartment, sleeps with her boss and calls her friends with wee-hour problems.

There's also yuppie Capitol Hill aide Judd Nelson, a Democrat turned Republican because the pay is better, and his live-in (Ally Sheedy) who won't marry him but has reason to resent his cheating.

Making them all look good by comparison is Emilio Estevez. He spots medical student Andie MacDowell and decides he must marry her despite her absolute lack of interest.

Beyond occasional mutterings of words like 'love' and 'beer,' there's never any explanation in the dialog that would hint at motivation.

(Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1985. Running time: 108 MIN.

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