St. Elmo's Fire

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1:24

St. Elmo's Fire

R

Released Jun 28, 1985

1h 48m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

A group of recent college graduates embark on a series of misadventures in the real world. There's Kirby (Emilio Estevez), a waiter who wants to be a lawyer; Kevin (Andrew McCarthy), a moody writer who yearns for the wild Jules (Demi Moore) ; Alec (Judd Nelson), whose political aspirations alienate his girlfriend, Leslie (Ally Sheedy) ; and Wendy (Mare Winningham), a quiet girl in love with Billy (Rob Lowe), who juggles roles as husband, dad and drunk. Together they grapple with adulthood.

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Critics Consensus

St. Elmo's Fire is almost peak Brat Pack: it's got the cast, the fashion, and the music, but the characters are too frequently unlikable.

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Derek Malcolm

Guardian

In spite of good playing from talented players like Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy and Ally Sheedy, the film looks more like an up-market version of Porky's than anything more coherent.

Apr 4, 2022

Full Review

Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

These aren't characters -- they're character hooks.

Jan 3, 2018

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Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

All speed and stylishness without a bit of emotional resonance beneath.

Jul 13, 2017

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...St Elmo's Fire is self-absorbed and dull, just like the characters that it depicts. But it's also something of a hoot to see 80's idiocy laid bare like this...

Rated: 3/5

Jun 8, 2021

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...familiar territory that is, for the most part, employed to underwhelming effect...

Rated: 2/4

May 20, 2021

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Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

Savaged when it was released, is it time for a reconsidering St. Elmo's Fire, a retrograde look at '80s single life? No. No, it's not.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 28, 2020

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Brad CKA L

https://youtu.be/IwsZi4rLwyE?si=9x70zD_N2vhYvASu

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

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Mark A

Unrealistic and very self absorbed

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/04/24

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Calvin R

It started out OK, but degraded quickly. My wife and I couldn't finish watching it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/23/24

Full Review

Craig B

St. Elmo’s Fire… should have been, what it could have been.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/21/24

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Vivienne T

Resonates with the coming of age genre - we all make mistakes in our youth- and I love the music.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/21/24

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Diana P

Not only is this movie boring, it also manages to serve up societal no no’s such as stalking, drunk driving, and sexual harassment - trying to make them all look cute/normal. I saw this movie in the theater when it came out in 1985. It never sat right with me then. Forty years later, it still doesn’t sit right with me now.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/18/24

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Joel Schumacher

Director

Rob Lowe

Billy Hicks

Demi Moore

Jules

Andrew McCarthy

Kevin Dolenz

Judd Nelson

Alec Newbary

Ally Sheedy

Leslie Hunter

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St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Jules Freaks Out

2:13

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - It Is Tomorrow

2:11

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Our Time at the Edge

2:08

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Not the Fat Chick

2:12

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Still a Virgin

2:13

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Marriage Is Obsolete

2:10

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - Very Pink

2:10

St. Elmo's Fire: Official Clip - What's the Meaning of Life?

1:49

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St. Elmo's Fire: Trailer 1

1:24

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Synopsis

A group of recent college graduates embark on a series of misadventures in the real world. There's Kirby (Emilio Estevez), a waiter who wants to be a lawyer; Kevin (Andrew McCarthy), a moody writer who yearns for the wild Jules (Demi Moore) ; Alec (Judd Nelson), whose political aspirations alienate his girlfriend, Leslie (Ally Sheedy) ; and Wendy (Mare Winningham), a quiet girl in love with Billy (Rob Lowe), who juggles roles as husband, dad and drunk. Together they grapple with adulthood.

Director: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Lauren Shuler Donner
Screenwriter: Joel Schumacher
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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