The Big Chill (1983) - Lawrence Kasdan

Eight college friends, who are all grown up and hardened by the "real world", come together for the funeral of Alex, one of their best friends who recently committed suicide.  Attempting to make sense of their friend's suicide, the group spends extra time together, getting reacquainted as they come to terms with their vanishing idealism about the world, something they lost from their youth.  The Big Chill is a film that says and does all the right things in its deconstruction of middle age, tapping into the fears and anxieties many face in dealing with their fall into complacency.  That said, The Big Chill really lacks depth and nuance in exploring these ideals, only really scratching the surface of these characters, opting instead for shallow narcissism to illicit its character's feelings.  The use of music in The Big Sleep really stands out, with Kasdan invigorating the film with a great variety of music that sets the tone, while establishing the nostalgia-filled setting of its characters.  I truly believe The Big Chill doesn't work as a character piece, but its character are nonetheless engaging, making the film a highly enjoyable experience. All of these characters are rather unique and fun to watch but the film's deconstruction is rather shallow, with Kasdan's opting for a lighter approach that never dives as deep into these character's fears and ambitions as it could have.  While this decision being a mistake is only my personal opinion, The Big Mistake never makes the carnal mistake of falling head-over-heels into sentimentality, delivering an enjoyable and somewhat perceptive look at the embourgeoisement that happens to many as they grow older.  

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