It is highly questionable that the world needed an uncredited and unacknowledged remake of 'The Big Chill' in the first place, but it most certainly did not need it remade as a third rate lovie-fest like this turgid Ken-and-Em Appreciation Society knock-off. Lawrence Kasdan should have sued the 'writers' for plagiarism, and the negative should have been turned into guitar plectrums. What a waste of time, money and effort this film was, and is.
shareSo, you liked it then, did you?
No, Dr Foo - to paraphrase the venerable Mr Sebert, I hated hated hated hated hated hated hated hated hated hated this film, every twittering, luvvie minute of it. I'd happily burn the negative and the director. (I was about to say 'and the writer', but I've got nothing against Lawrence Kasdan). Scene after scene of 'Peter's Friends' was stolen from "The Big Chill", and we aren't talking about inspiration or homage, we are talking about plagiarism. Look at the scene where Emma Thompson tries to seduce Stephen Fry - "Give me your babies!" - then go back to the source material and have a look at the scene where Mary Kay Place tries the same thing on with William Hurt in "The Big Chill". They are identical. You could be looking at a remake. Successful, self-doubting Hollywood type, losing his soul as he finds material success - Kenneth Branagh in this turgid slop and Tom Berenger in the source material. Self-effacing husband, outwardly successful, wishes his wife had a bit of a better grip? Kevin Kline/Hugh Laurie. Married woman, missing something in her life, on the make ... why go on? They are all there.
If the 'screenplay' of this utter dross had been sent anonymously to the idiots who financed it, they would have binned it without a second's thought. It got picked up because it was being noised about by the luvvie network, was made by them, and quite frankly appeals to few but them.
This had not occured to me before. However, you are absolutely correct. I have seen Peter's friends a couple of times, most recently today. Something about this film did not sit right with me .. couldn't lay my fingers on what. I figured it was the snobbish lovie fest, but I was wrong. Anyhow, The Big Chill is a far far better film. If it were worth it to sue, I would recommend it .. however, I do not think this movie made much money.
Blech Blech and double blech .. what a crummy film.
I shall go watch The Big Chill. Better movie and BTW much better music as well.
Well, I think all that pretty much covers it, this film has no redeeming features even if you've never seen or heard of "The Big Chill". I had no sympathy for any of the characters they are either horrible, immature or emotionally stunted.
The only credible character was Tony Slattery who, seeing as he obviously can't act, seemed to be playing himself and hanging on to the coat tails of more successful and talented (albeit dubiously for the most part) people. Doesn't stop him being a tosser though.
I very rarely turn off my TV in anger but that final closing shot of Fry's face tipped me over the edge. It's a pretentious, one-dimensional, self-satisfied mess produced by pompous, upper-middle class idiots.
The only member of the cast who I still have any respect for is Stephen Fry, but after a few of his recent escapades, he's on a slippery slope toward my Celebrity Hit List.
Alcohol is the cause of, and solution to, all life's problems
"Well, I think all that pretty much covers it, this film has no redeeming features even if you've never seen or heard of "The Big Chill". I had no sympathy for any of the characters they are either horrible, immature or emotionally stunted.
The only credible character was Tony Slattery who, seeing as he obviously can't act, seemed to be playing himself and hanging on to the coat tails of more successful and talented (albeit dubiously for the most part) people. Doesn't stop him being a tosser though.
I very rarely turn off my TV in anger but that final closing shot of Fry's face tipped me over the edge. It's a pretentious, one-dimensional, self-satisfied mess produced by pompous, upper-middle class idiots.
The only member of the cast who I still have any respect for is Stephen Fry, but after a few of his recent escapades, he's on a slippery slope toward my Celebrity Hit List"
I think thats taking it a bit too seriously. Its only a Film after all. If you
don't like it then don't watch it, its that simple. As for myself, I do like it
and make no bones about that.
Well now, I think the OP is being a bit over-the-top in his hatred of this film. It's as if Peter's Friends has injured him personally.
Even if Peter's Friends is not your cup of tea, I cannot understand why anyone would feel such a vitriolic hatred towards it. Personally, I think it's a fabulous film - all the characters have very distinct personalities and, together, they really evoke a sense of people who have been friends for years but haven't seen each other in a while. The script is by turns both funny and touching. The acting is great. Overall, I think this is a superb and involving film. Even if it is a bit like 'The Big Chill' - which I haven't seen - why should that remove from your enjoyment of it?
Of course they've brought forth juniper berries, they're juniper bushes!
You should know that The Big Chill owes a lot to The Seacaucus Seven so Kasdan suing over Peter's Friends would be absurd.
Not every reworked idea is a knockoff or a ripoff, by the way.
In fact the film is called "Return of the Secaucus Seven". Do try to get it right. You might also try "Indian Summer" (starring Matt Craven, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Pollack, Vincent Spano, Julie Warner, and Alan Arkin) and the Swiss film "Jonas On His Twenty-fifth Birthday", the BBC series "Our Friends In The North", the 1981 Arthur Penn film "Four Friends" ... get the picture? Reunion films are quite common. It's a genre, like Gangster Films or War Films or Totally Crap Rene Zellweger Films. The point about "Peter's Friends" is that the characters, situations, locations, scenes, dialogue, set-ups, etc etc etc are all studiously ripped off from "The Big Chill". Certainly there are similarities between "The Big Chill" and "Return of the Secaucus Seven", just as there are similarities between "Memphis Belle" and "The Dambusters". However, there is genre, there is homage, there is inspiration and there is plagiarism. Ripoff. Screenplay theft. "Peter's Friends", a fifth rate, worthless, wretchedly bad film in its own right, also carries the burden of being a detailed ripoff of another film. I stand by my comment that Ksdan should have sued, but considering "Peter's Friends" was a box office bomb ("Happy, happy, joy joy! - thank you, Ren and Stimpy) suing the people who committed this atrocity would probably have been pointless.
shareI'm glad you were able to look up that film. Congratulations. You've learned something. Now you know why "Lawrence Kasdan should have sued the 'writers' for plagiarism" is a silly thing to say, regardless of whether Peter's Friends is a good film.
But since we're being didactic:
Actually it's "Return of the Secaucus 7" not "The Return of the Seacaucus Seven"
You spelled the city wrong, spelled out the numeral, and added a definite article.
Do try to get it right, old boy.
Thank you for this. I've never seen this movie, but I doubt it's as insufferable as the OP.
Why take the escalator when I've got a perfectly good canoe?
It may very well be a genre, but John Sayles invented that genre with Seacucus 7, and Lawrence Kasdan brought it into the mainstream with Big Chill. Everything after that is simpy a me too effort.
From your first post : "The Seacaucus Seven". City mispelled, "Seven" used instead of "7". Didactic my jacksie. I would posit that I was being pedantic anyway. Using "Seven" for "7" no more invalidates my post than referring to "Ocean's 12" as that utter dog turd with George Cloo ... sorry ... "Ocean's Twelve".
shareYou already pointed out I didn't quote the exact title. Why point it out again? I didn't say it inavlidated your post. It's just ironic that you were correcting me and you didn't get it right, either. And I would certainly agree that you are a pedant.
Gonzo is absolutely right... not a genre film, but a re-make (crappy as it may be...)
shareGonzo is absolutely right... not a genre film, but a re-make (crappy as it may be...)
it definitely is not a remake. It's not even a ripoff, unless you want to say that Goodfellas is a ripoff of The Godfather because they are both about mobsters. Yes, this movie is similar to "The Big Chill" in that they are both about a reunion of college friends. There the similarities end. The "BC" friends come together because one of their group committed suicide. There is a lot of soul searching, not just about this suicide and whether they could have prevented it, but about whether they all are sellouts. "Peter's Friends" is a completely different story.
You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi
Ace wins on this score - if you're going to try to make a point by pointing out someone else's spelling errors, then you better make sure that you get it right yourself. Muphry's Law in action!
shareNot every reworked idea is a knockoff or a ripoff, by the way.
That's really all that needs to be said.
The Big Chill? WHat is that exactly, can't say I've ever heard of it or seen it. So a film is made about a group of friends that get together and chew over old times means it can't be done again. Maybe you should tell Hollywood we're sick of Jaws 2 and Rocky 5 and Aliens 5,000,000, need I go on.
And what is Aliens vs Predator all about.
While Peter's Friends is no classic in the making it certainly is a watchable movie about peoples lives that many people can relate too. If you don't like it, don't watch it. I don't like/watch Horror movies and don't give them bad reviews.
Even if it were a rip off, have you never heard of remake of homage?
I agree the theme is very much based on "The Big Chill", but there are some great moments
"I thought we were getting away from it all. I didn't think you'd bring it all with you."
"adults are just children who own money"
and Tony Slattery surreptitiously wiping his *rs* while washing his smalls.
Have seen both the big chill and Peters friends but fail to see why this is a rip off. They have similar themes but not that similar. the only things they have in common is the reunion of friends and the "tv-star" who is one of the friends apart from that theres not much likeness.
Peters Friends is a well written and well acted film (so is the big chill) but its no remake by any means
There are similiarities between The Big Chill and Peter's Friends, but Peter's Friends is a much better film.
share
I have actually seen The Big Chill and thought it was a load of old wank.
I hated it pretty much as the OP hated Peter's Friends.
I've always dubbed this little gem 'The Good Version of The Big Chill'.
Mentioning the actors class is probably the major clue as to why the poster finds such vitriol with which to describe this film - it doesn't seem to be the film's fault - it's the actors and their friendship's fault.
I could NOT relate to one single member of the Big Chill's cast yet I found myself in many of the character's in Peter's Friends. I wonder how that fits into his world view ... ?
Maybe I'm one of THEM?!?! *gasp*
I think saying that 'Peter's Friends' is a sub-par British remake of 'The Big Chill' is like stating that 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' is a remake of Ghost. Which it isn't. Yes, it has similar themes and characters, but it's a completely different film. And in my eyes, Peter's Friends is infinitely better than The Big Chill.
What is your name, Sir, that you must shroud yourself under a lightweight travelling hat?
"Truly, Madly, Deeply" was actually made BEFORE (though released a few months after) "Ghost."
And "Peter's Friends" had FAR more to do with the actual relationships the actors shared through their time at Cambridge and the Footlights "troupe" than it did with "The Big Chill." MANY in the cast-- Thompson, Fry, Laurie, Slattery-- were there at the same time, and the "university sketches" referenced in the movie came directly from their experiences there.
Nostalgia for one's "college years" isn't exclusive to Sayles, Kasdan, Branagh, or ANYONE else.
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Peter's Friends ripped off The Big Chill. The Big Chill ripped off Return of the Secaucus Seven. It's the movies. Everyone steals from everyone.
http://most-underrated-movies.blogspot.com/
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Well, they are both bad films, in my opinion. At least this one has Branagh and Thompson, though, frankly the best performance is from Thompson's mom, Phyllida Law. Both Branagh and Thompson do some unforgivable scenery chewing...as does most of the cast.
Life sucks, then you're reincarnated