The Big Chill (1983)

68% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(20,745 ratings)

Embraced by the Baby Boomer generation and spawning countless imitators, the sophomore film of writer-director Lawrence Kasdan was a successful comedy-drama with a best selling soundtrack of Motown hits. Kevin Kline and Glenn Close star as Harold and Sarah Cooper, a couple whose marital troubles are… More Embraced by the Baby Boomer generation and spawning countless imitators, the sophomore film of writer-director Lawrence Kasdan was a successful comedy-drama with a best selling soundtrack of Motown hits. Kevin Kline and Glenn Close star as Harold and Sarah Cooper, a couple whose marital troubles are put on hold while they host an unhappy reunion of former college pals gathered for the funeral of one of their own, a suicide victim named Alex. As the weekend unfolds, the friends catch up with each other, play the music of their youth, reminisce, smoke marijuana, and pair off with each other in unexpected combinations. Included are Michael (Jeff Goldblum), a smarmy journalist; Sam (Tom Berenger), a TV star; Karen (JoBeth Williams), unhappily married and pining for Sam; Nick (William Hurt), a drug-addicted Vietnam vet; and Meg (Mary Kay Place), a single career woman who wants a child. Joining the group is Alex's bizarre girlfriend Chloe (Meg Tilly), who finds new love with Nick. As they learn to deal with the truth about the loss of idealism in their lives and Alex's sad demise, the friends find their bond still intact, while the marriage of Harold and Sarah is healed in an unusual way that's in sync with the era of their youth. Cut from the release of The Big Chill (1983) was the brief appearance of young actor Kevin Costner as Alex. Kasdan promised Costner a role in his next picture, which turned out to be a star-making part in Silverado (1985). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Lawrence Kasdan
Written By: Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 28, 1983 Wide
On DVD: Jan 26, 1999
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Characters are generally middle-of-the-roaders, and pic lacks a tough-minded spokesman who might bring them all up short for a moment.
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
An irresistibly satisfying cultural artifact.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
There is no place for depth or nuance in this slickly engineered complacency machine.
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
Funny and ferociously smart.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It has all the right moves. It knows all the right words. Its characters have all the right clothes, expressions, fears, lusts and ambitions. But there's no payoff and it doesn't lead anywhere.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
The performances represent ensemble playing of an order Hollywood films seldom have time for, with the screenplay providing each character with at least one big scene.
, Film4
An always entertaining and perceptive film that hardly ever lapses into sentimentality.
, Empire Magazine
An entertaining look at the 80s embourgeoisement of 60s student activists steers skillfully between social satire and sentiment.
Michael Scheinfeld, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Strong acting and a string of classic rock and soul tunes make up for a superficial script.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
More significant sociologically than artistically, Kasdan's portrait of the Baby Boom generation--the Yuppie--is a zeitgeist film that is enjoyable due to strong ensemble acting and popular tunes.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Shallow nostalgia-trip flick.
, Time Out
It's perceptive, affectionate and often very funny.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
A truly unforgettable motion picture, with a killer soundtrack
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A thoroughly entertaining, fluid and wonderfully relaxed movie that delivers some of the finest ensemble acting to be seen on the screen for years.
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
Three words: 'yadda, yadda, yadda.'

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Sajin P

This one is a timeless gem. Seven friends are reunited after a long time, not for the best of reasons though - the eighth member of their once intimate group having committed suicide. With emotions teetering between joy and sorrow, they decide to make the most out of the time they… More
This one is a timeless gem. Seven friends are reunited after a long time, not for the best of reasons though - the eighth member of their once intimate group having committed suicide. With emotions teetering between joy and sorrow, they decide to make the most out of the time they have. A night of booze and laughs follows, and soon each one realize how much things have changed in their lives. The most captivating aspect about the movie, something every viewer relates to himself, is that sense of dreams lost and ideals surrendered - how life never turn out as we plan it to be.
Sophie B

A decent cast with a decent story but somehow this just felt like a 10 hour bore. Way too talky and with the amount of characters it was sometimes difficult to keep up because they weren't well established in the beginning. I didn't know until 20 minutes in that they all… More
A decent cast with a decent story but somehow this just felt like a 10 hour bore. Way too talky and with the amount of characters it was sometimes difficult to keep up because they weren't well established in the beginning. I didn't know until 20 minutes in that they all were old friends, and too much of a significance was put on the dead man. Never watch again.
Jennifer X

I love, love reunion movies. I love seeing the changes between people, the illicit exchanges that materialize behind closed doors. The script here is great. I really feel the history behind these friendships.
Steven C

"The Big Chill" may not be a bon-a-fied classic but it's certainly considered one by the 'Baby Boomer' generation. The picture perfectly captures the lost hope that generation was facing in the 1980s thus making it the go to zeitgeist film of the time period.… More
"The Big Chill" may not be a bon-a-fied classic but it's certainly considered one by the 'Baby Boomer' generation. The picture perfectly captures the lost hope that generation was facing in the 1980s thus making it the go to zeitgeist film of the time period. As it stands today "The Big Chill" is still a nice little film. It may be light but it's elegantly acted and constructed with an incredible soundtrack to boot. In fact, music is so prevalent in the film that one can almost call it a musical of sorts. The music is like another character, adding depth and fun to the at times gloomy story. "The Big Chill" is a nice piece of nostalgia and a lovely snapshot of a generation.
Cassie H

Very cute and romantic,and it kinda reminded me of St.Elmo's Fire a little bit since it circled around a group of 7 former college friends. VERY GOOD!!! :) Great actors too!!! :) William Hurt is my favorite every time that I watch this movie. :) Just an fantastic movie!!!!!! :) I… More
Very cute and romantic,and it kinda reminded me of St.Elmo's Fire a little bit since it circled around a group of 7 former college friends. VERY GOOD!!! :) Great actors too!!! :) William Hurt is my favorite every time that I watch this movie. :) Just an fantastic movie!!!!!! :) I love it!!!!! :) Just great :)
AJ V

This is a good movie, it has a lot of stars, and they all give good performances. It has a good story about the life and growing up and friends, but I was a bit disappointed in how it ends. Overall, it's a good drama, and it has a lot of good music too.
Dan S

A good-feeling though somewhat formulaic and predictable film concerning a group of college friends who reunite after one of their friends suddenly commits suicide. While director Lawrence Kasdan aptly colors each one of his characters and makes us interested in these very human… More
A good-feeling though somewhat formulaic and predictable film concerning a group of college friends who reunite after one of their friends suddenly commits suicide. While director Lawrence Kasdan aptly colors each one of his characters and makes us interested in these very human individuals, the film falls apart near the end especially. There is one act specifically that defies an audience's intelligence, as we are actually almost asked by Kasdan to admire the "good-will" of a few of his characters, when in fact its nothing short of unbelievable and a little insulting for us to believe and accept such a decision. With that said, this film is mostly enjoyable, and it has a nice atmosphere, but the last act just does a lot of damage to it that I could not for one forgive.
Spencer S

Now in my top five best soundtracks. Evocative, tender, and full of friendship and warmth, this is another in a long line of powerhouse 80's comedies. Kasdan does it again.
Ross C

Bland. An 80s "friends" movie with a good cast that may have meant more at the time but this style of movie has been done and redone so much better since.
Cindy I

Not my kind of movie, but I give it a better review because I loved the 60s soundtrack.
Lanning :

01/14/09 update:I just saw this again after quite a while. It's still 5-star worthy. Just a dynamite ensemble cast effort (end update).What is it with you? Is jail another "experience" you want to try? See what… More
01/14/09 update:I just saw this again after quite a while. It's still 5-star worthy. Just a dynamite ensemble cast effort (end update).What is it with you? Is jail another "experience" you want to try? See what that's like? Kevin Costner was perfectly cast here : ) I used to watch this every night when I was into one of my I-must-study-this-closely-so-I- can-engineer-my-own- great-script phases. It really is a fine script, and the movie holds up well after nearly a quarter of a century. Another great musical soundtrack, so incredibly periodizing that Jeff Goldblum's and Kevin Kline's characters actually comment about it in the middle of the movie : ) That may be a first. Goldblum is perfectly cast for his role as well. One of the best things William Hurt has done. Tom Berenger in an unusual role for him.Wrong, a long time ago we knew each other for a short period of time; you don't know anything about me. It was easy back then. No one had a cushier berth than we did. It's not surprising our friendship could survive that. It's only out there in the real world that it gets tough.By the way, I want more of Mary Kay Place on screen!
jay n

Okay but overhyped.
Alice S

Hilarious and touching with a very "Ordinary People" vibe which I love. The script is excellent, introducing you to scenes-in-progress without spelling out what the characters were just talking about.
xGary X

Dreary and soapy melodrama that's basically a grown-up version of The Breakfast Club. Without the charm and humour.
Dean M

Great drama of the thirtysomething group back together for a long weekend of talking, rediscovering, bonding, friendship remaking and the odd bit of nookie.
Alec B

I know that as I am not a Baby Boomer, this film has no real connection for my generation. Ill say that the cast is very good, they all play the parts really well and there are some interesting moments. However the film is frustrating because the end reinforces the bullshit that… More
I know that as I am not a Baby Boomer, this film has no real connection for my generation. Ill say that the cast is very good, they all play the parts really well and there are some interesting moments. However the film is frustrating because the end reinforces the bullshit that William Hurt's character calls everyone on. Its upsetting because for one brief moment the film seemed to be speaking something remarkably true.
hawk l

Seminal baby boomer angst session, aided by a catchy soundtrack, eulogizes the lost ideals and enthusiasms of the 1960s and ponders what, if anything, has taken their place, tending towards melancholy reflection.
Lee K

Great flick. Casting is excellent with a powerhouse storyline and 60-70's soundtrack to back it up.
Sunil J

An awesome reunion movie. One of my favorite 80's movie.
Leo L

A great film about the beauty of friendship. Love it!!