The Big Chill (1983)
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A group of baby boomers reunite at a friend's funeral and confront their shared past and personal struggles.
The story
Following the suicide of their friend Alex, a group of baby boomer friends who attended the University of Michigan reunite. They gather at a plantation in Beaufort, South Carolina, to attend his funeral and spend time together. The group, consisting of various professionals and individuals grappling with their own lives, finds themselves reflecting on their shared past, their 1960s idealism, and the complexities of their current relationships and personal struggles while staying together in a large house.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Alex Marshall's suicide, his friends—including a television actor, a real-estate attorney, a journalist, a struggling writer, and a drug-addicted veteran—gather at the Tidalholm plantation. While staying with Sarah and Harold Cooper, the group navigates personal crises: Meg seeks a child, Karen struggles with her marriage, and Nick deals with his addiction. Tensions rise as they discuss their pasts, including a secret affair between Sarah and Alex. They visit Alex's old house and confront their fading 1960s idealism. Amidst the gathering, various interpersonal dynamics unfold, including a secret romance between Karen and Sam. The film concludes with the group deciding to stay together at the house, and Michael jokingly declaring they are never leaving.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Lawrence Kasdan
- Writers
- Lawrence Kasdan · writer; Barbara Benedek · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tom Berenger; Glenn Close; Jeff Goldblum; William Hurt; Kevin Kline; Mary Kay Place; Meg Tilly; JoBeth Williams
- Genres
- comedy-drama
- Themes
- loss of idealism; friendship; aging
- Tone and mood
- serious; reflective
- Setting
- A plantation in Beaufort, South Carolina.
- Premise and plot tags
- class reunion; funeral; suicide
- Reception
- The film was a box office hit and received mixed to positive reviews, being praised for its cast and soundtrack.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 70% · review count: 43; Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 12
- Awards and nominations
- People's Choice Award · Toronto International Film Festival · 8th · win
- Production trivia
- The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2025.; The character of Nick was written specifically for actor William Hurt.; The film was later adapted for television as the series Hometown.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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