The Big Chill
Dir:  Lawrence Kasdan
1983
****
Although I don't think The Big Chill actually works as a realistic character piece, it does have a certain something about it that makes it somewhat irresistible. The premise is great, full of possibilities, so I quite like the fact that nothing much really happened as I can believe that. The ending however is fairly unbelievable and I'm not sure it really works, in fact it contradicts most of what we've learned during the film but I think originality wins through this time. It shouldn't work, I'm not sure it does, maybe there is something of a 80s acceptability about it but I liked it. It works for not working, if that makes any sense at all? I still find it hard to believe Lawrence Kasdan hadn't seen John Sayles's Return of the Secaucus 7 but I guess we'll never know, The Big Chill is better anyhow.