<![CDATA[I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the]]>Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — St. Elmo's Fire

ss336 — 10 years ago(October 09, 2015 05:34 PM)

I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the characters are ridiculous enough to make it watchable, what is the theme? What's the point? How can you have a movie about nothing? A movie doesn't have to have a grand good-vs-evil theme, but a theme nonetheless is necessary! I suspect this movie uses a lot of cunning and highly skilful tricks to make you keep watching and forget that it's really just super-mundane tosh.
One idea I had, was that the movie falls because the plot centers around some very ordinary and average people flaunting their rather pedestrian 'great expectations', living by the old 'fake it till you make it' adage, but failing to exhibit any extraordinary qualities that raise them above the lowest common denominator average man or woman.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/topic/201464/i-ve-watched-it-for-the-third-time-in-about-20-years-and-i-still-can-t-figure-out-any-point-or-purpose-to-it-while-theRSS for NodeTue, 12 May 2026 17:50:19 GMTThu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:16 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:23 GMT]]>ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch — 9 years ago(September 29, 2016 07:25 PM)

Trials and tribulations of being an upwardly mobile upper middle-class caucasian college graduate of the mid-1980s.
When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696992https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696992Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:22 GMT]]>amsclassic — 9 years ago(September 22, 2016 06:39 PM)

They were trying to do another Breakfast Club but with older characters. The problem is most of us grow out of being so 'emotionally tortured' and pigeon holed by the age of these characters.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696991https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696991Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:21 GMT]]>AllEighties — 10 years ago(February 23, 2016 10:56 PM)

Just the struggles of a gang of tight friends as they grow up and start to prepare to separate really. What's wrong with that?
Seinfeld was a true show about nothing and it's maybe the greatest show ever made.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696990https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696990Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:20 GMT]]>IMDb User

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]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696989https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696989Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:19 GMT]]>IMDb User

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]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696988https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696988Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:18 GMT]]>cananny — 10 years ago(January 03, 2016 10:24 PM)

Growing up

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696987https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696987Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I've watched it for the third time in about 20 years, and I still can't figure out any point or purpose to it. While the on Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:17 GMT]]>daverindone — 10 years ago(October 10, 2015 04:31 PM)

I'd say pretty much 'life is hard' after college would be the central theme with a cast of characters that look nothing like ordinary people. This is one of my favorite "bad" movies of all time, but they painted the cast in such broad strokes (yuppie, frat boy, nice girl, tortured writer) that it may as been a Friday the 13th sequel. To me, it wasn't the soundtrack, atmosphere or cast that caused the critical failure, rather it that there really wasn't anyone to really rally behind.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696986https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1696986Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:16:17 GMT