MovieChat Forums > The Big Chill (1983) Discussion > Nick interviews himself

Nick interviews himself

posted 5 years ago by Misty (250)
8 replies | jump to latest

In a film packed with memorable scenes, one of my favorites is when Nick conducts an interview with himself on camera. He pretends to be an aggressive reporter asking him, Nick about his life choices and career. The interview stalls when he asks himself about his drug dealing. Nick becomes evasive. Great acting from William Hurt who was on fire in the 1980s. What was also amusing was that Alex's girlfriend Chloe , was listening while sat on the stairs unbeknownst to Nick.

[–] joi2049 (5561) 4 years ago

Yes it was an interesting scene, because at that point Chloe also realized Nick's the one who had given her advice about what to do back when she'd called the radio station where he'd been working at the time.

So that's also how his romance with Chloe began (even though Nick can't have sex anymore due to his injury that he got in Viet Nam).

[–] Wuchak (8737) 2 years ago

His wound rendered him impotent, but that doesn't mean he can't make love.

[–] joi2049 (5561) 2 years ago

The reference made is to what Nick tells Chloe (who also informs him that his injury doesn't matter to her). In other words, she also lets him know that her interest in him isn't superficial, and involves more than just having a sexual relationship with him.

And that's also in contrast to the way the other character's interest (the reporter's) in Chloe is superficial (which is also why she constantly rejects him each time he tries flirting with her).

[–] Wuchak (8737) 2 years ago

Good insights.

[–] joi2049 (5561) 2 years ago

Here's some more insights that can be found in the scene where Nick INTERVIEWS himself ... making him sound very much like ALEX (even though he also denies being ALEX later on ... when CHLOE says how much NICK reminds her of ALEX):

https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/the-big-chill-1983.pdf

NI.CK

(Interviewer) ... So you came back from Vietnam a
"changed man".
(Guest) Well, why don't you just tell everybody. (Interviewer) ·
And then in 1972 you returned to the
University of Michigan to enter the
doctoral program in psychology. But
you just couldn't seem to finish that
dissertation.
(Guest)
I could have. I chose not to. I'm not
hung up on this completion thing. (Interviewer) Then it was on to a SERIES of JOBS, all
of which you quit. (MORE)
47
NICK (CONT'D) (Guest) What are you_ getting at? I was evolving. I'm still evolving.
(Interviewer) But your real fame came as a radio
psychologist on KQID in San Francisco.
Chloe watches unseen from the shadows of the den.
NICK
(Guest)
I wouldn't call it "fame". I had a
small, deeply disturbed following. Are we almost done here?
(Interviewer) What are you doing now -- or I should
say, what have you evolved into now?
(Guest) Oh ... I'm in sales.
(Interviewer) What are you selling?
(Guest, mumbles) I don't have to answer that.
(looks off camera, as if to lawyer) Do I have to answer

CHLOE
Alex loved that hill.
NICK
.I can understand it. It's great!
CHLOE
(looking at him)
You remind me of Alex.
Nick does a big take and eyes her queerly.
NICK
I ain't him.

But with Nick's "series of jobs" that he quits, and with his never finishing GRAD School, his life does sound very much like the way that the Minister describes the life of Alex at the funeral:

MINISTER ... a brilliant physics student at the
University of Michigan who, paradoxically, chose to turn his back on science and
taste of life through a seemingly random
"series of occupations." Just one of many

And then the film also ends with NICK in relationship with the former girlfriend of ALEX, and with his plans to move into the same home that ALEX was renovating to live in with CHLOE.

So NICK might not be ALEX, but wasn't CHLOE also right when she said that he reminded her of ALEX???

🤔

[–] MNRebecca (769) 7 months ago

I suspect Nick suffered from Agent Orange erectile dysfunction.

[–] Gd5150 (11750) 2 years ago

It is a good scene. And nice glimpse into his narcissism. Today he’d have his own TikTok channel whining about how hard his life was. He was even a shrink. What a great character.

[–] Tongue (465) 2 years ago

The entire cast for this movie is amazing .. it’s a fantastic movie