St. Elmo's Fire

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) Joel Schumacher

St. Elmo’s Fire is a movie about the lives of seven friends, Kirby Keger, Billy Hicks, Kevin Dolenz, Jules, Alec Newbary, Leslie Hunter, and Wendy Beamish. These seven friends are struggling with life after graduation and entering the real world. This movie has a lot of similarities to the TV show Friends, and the movie The Breakfast Club (it even has 3 of the same actors). All of the characters are extremely unique. There’s Kirby, the obsessed stalker, Billy, the bad boy, Kevin, the one everyone thinks is gay, Jules, the crazy, party girl, Alec, the one who has it all together, Leslie, Alec’s girlfriend and Wendy, the good girl and virgin. The group goes through love, heartbreak, different jobs, obsession, desperation, regrets, and helping a friend in need together. Kirby’s unhealthy obsession with Dale turns into him taking every effort to talk to her and eventually just stalking her. Billy is down and out, losing jobs, a kid and a wife. He’s the bad boy that breaks hearts left and right. Kevin is madly in love with his friend Leslie, who just happens to be in a relationship with his other friend Alec. Everyone just assumes Kevin is gay because he never pays attention to any girls. Jules is living life in the fast lane, and comes crashing down hard. Alec has everything together, he has a steady job, he’s becoming a republican and wants to marry his girlfriend Leslie. Leslie is unsure about wanting to get married to Alec, because she feels she has to have something for her self first. Wendy lives with her strict parents, she spends her time volunteering and helping those worse off than her. She’s still a virgin, but her parents are pressuring her to get engaged to Howie. The movie has a tumultuous plot line, with witty one liners. All the characters are so out there that there is one that everyone will relate to. The movie is a classic 80s movie from the music, to the themes it contains. The film stands up over time because of the relationships these friends have. The themes never get old and I think we’re all just trying to discover our place in the world. I would recommend St. Elmo’s Fire to anyone for a good movie that will warm your heart and make you laugh.