A sense of disillusionment felt by many college graduates from the nineteen sixties during the early eighties is explored in this film. The story centers on seven former classmates from Michigan who reunite near the coast in a small South Carolina town following the death of one of their own. During the weekend together, they reflect on the ideals of their youth, consider their current circumstances, and contemplate what lies ahead for them. Lawrence Kasdan wrote and directed “The Big Chill” (1983), which shares a similar narrative to "The Return of the Secaucus Seven," released three years prior. While it benefited from a significantly larger budget and featured more recognizable actors, the story itself isn’t necessarily superior. Among the cast are characters such as a married couple who own a large, older house in South Carolina (Kevin Kline & Glenn Close), a television star reminiscent of Magnum P.I. (Tom Berenger), an attorney (Mary Kay Place), a journalist working for People magazine (Jeff Goldblum), a dissatisfied mother and homemaker (JoBeth Williams), and a Vietnam veteran struggling with drug use (William Hurt). Meg Tilly appears as the girlfriend of the deceased. Though successful upon its release, some people jokingly refer to it as "The Big Dull." It’s certainly one of those films that requires a particular frame of mind to appreciate. I believe Kasdan and the actors effectively portrayed the feeling of genuine old friends reconnecting after nearly twenty years. The movie also has a dry wit that appeals to me, along with its soundtrack from the sixties and the appealing Southern setting. The subplot involving an awkward artificial insemination almost derails the entire story and is quite hard to accept, but Chloe’s poignant decision helps to compensate for it. These former college students are largely intellectual in nature, while Chloe represents something more primal and spiritual. The film's length is 1 hour and 45 minutes, and filming took place mainly in Beaufort, South Carolina, which is close to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. GRADE: B-

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