St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) - 5/10

I love an ensemble cast and the 80s did too. This one being packed with young up and coming stars, who largely didn’t really make it out of the decade, well aside Moore. We meet a group of recently graduated friends, struggling to assimilate into adult life, whilst a schmaltzy pop score thunders over everything. There’s the usual mix of characters, the nerd, musician, artist, yuppie, all hanging out at the titular bar. Billy (Rob Lowe) plays the dropout, womanising saxophonist, messing around and leading on, Wendy (Mare Winningham). Alec (Judd Nelson), the ambitious wannabe yuppie Republican, is too dragging his girlfriend, Leslie (Ally Sheedy) into a world she doesn’t want. These characters, including Kirby (Emilio Estevez) are genuinely vile and take up a lot of space. Kevin (Andrew McCarthy) fairs better, but only just and the whole thing smacks of money and privilege… not theirs necessarily, but the pretty obnoxious world they inhabit and aspire too. There are some interesting storylines, everyone looks beautiful, it’s not badly acted, but the plot is thin and it doesn’t worry about really going anywhere. The focus is all on the male characters and their goals and wishes, well aside Jules (Demi Moore) who pretty much steals the show, although not really for the right reasons, she’s as ruled by the men in her life as everyone else. Martin Balsam and Andie MacDowell feature in the extended cast, rounding out the self-centred leads and their first world dramas. Honestly it’s all a bit of a car-wreck, jumping from Andrew’s mysterious love life to everyone else’s messy ones. Despite all this, it’s quite watchable. This is my first time and I suspect last, but if you like a spot of 80s nostalgia and have already watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, then this is worth a watch. Just don’t expect any depth, likeable characters or clear moral guidance. With American kids growing up on films like this, it’s no wonder it’s in the mess it is.

5/10