Four Friends [DVD]

If you're lucky enough to have seen this movie, you've probably had the experience of telling dozens of people about it, and receiving blank looks in response. It's one of those great movies that no one seems to have seen. It covers a decade (the 1960's) in the lives of four friends, with most of the emphasis being on two of them (Danny and Georgia). It covers so much ground that it's difficult to describe: love, friendship, sex, social issues, coming of age, defining yourself, what is worth fighting for, etc. IT CONTAINS THE FUNNIEST BARFIGHT EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. It contains one of the most surprising plot turns I have ever seen (if you see this coming, my hat is off to you). I cry and laugh every time I watch it. It also manages to profoundly show the various conflicts that ripped at the fabric of American society in the 60's without trashing America itself. Just get it.

Worth It! I read a book recently about East Chicago. (Previously reviewed) A couple of days later, I kept thinking of this movie I remembered watching in the early 80's called, Four Friends, which takes place in EC. I desperately needed to see it again.l I tracked it down. I set the mood in my screening room allowing me the best advantage to see if I would become, once again, as I had years ago, engrossed in this story. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. The actors are so richly developed, the story so rich, I felt like I was there. Seeing all the EC streets, the locations, the people , their cultures, the melting pot of every ethnicity all together. A story of late teens coming of age in the early 60's. All of it. Like a moving photo album with beloved characters and true stories of difficult choices made long ago, before we lived in an informational society. These characters had to do research at the library, and rely on advice older people at a time in their life when that was most difficult. It seems like almost each decision they made was a leap of faith. Man, I love this film!

I enjoyed Four Friends during its initial theatrical release in 1981, and took a chance on it again just recently. The movie withstands the test of time. Interesting take on growing up on Chicago’s SE side. Personally, as a grandchild of immigrants from Croatia who settled in southern Illinois to work in coal mines, and then follow work to the steel mills of Chicago, the movie has a personal connection. I’ll never forget visiting relatives in these gritty neighborhoods, and the hard working people who worked in the mills. Life could be brutal on the adults, who at times were not remiss to take out their frustrations on their children. Four Friends captures one of the great dichotomies of growing up in such an area, with such parents. The parents took pride in their work ethic, and shrugged off the toughness of their work, seemingly wanting better for their children, but were as rebellious as their children appeared to be, when their children opted for a different path in life. The feelings of the parental generation was divided between pride in their children reaching for a better life, and insult that their own way of life was not good enough for their children. Four Friends captures this phenomena very well. The story leads all but one of the four friends from the steel mill district and loosely follows their odyssey concentrating on Craig Wasson’s (Danilo) college years during the Vietnam era, and the romantic entanglements engaged upon with the three male friends and the one female Jodi Thelen(Georgia). The movie experiments with many of the “experiences” of the time period without becoming bogged down in any particular phase, or stereotypes. The movie embraces the grit, and experimentation of the time period, and brings the four friends together time and again through the joys, prejudices and tragedies of life. Four Friends is a very good movie, but l’m left with one question. There is no explanation for how the son of a steelmill worker could afford to go to Northwestern University. Did Danilo work in the mills during the summers? Did he have scholarships?

Basic DVD package, nothing special. But the movie.... First saw this on cable in the 80s and fell madly in love with Jodi Thelen (or Georgia, I can't tell them apart). Craig Wasson is great, too. Nostalgic and sentimental, with a couple of stellar, indelible moments. Flawed? Sure. But it sticks with you.

As advertised, played ok, good movie

I should have expected this to be semi-mediocre when I popped it in. I find ‘Breaking Away’ to be vastly overrated, and Penn’s directorial efforts aren’t the most consistent (he fit in nicely with ‘The Miracle Worker’, but a recent viewing of ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ shone a spotlight on its many flaws). This character study centering on four friends growing up in the 60’s has a lot going for it, but it all feels so amateurishly constructed. The performances are either too much or too little, lacking balance and conviction, and the screenplay panders and fails to make a real impact. It all just came and went with little to show, and Penn’s knack for turning things into a soap opera didn’t help much at all. Maybe I just don’t connect with the time, place or era depicted, and yet that can’t be it since I have in the past. A good movie is a good movie, and sadly a bad one cannot hide behind nostalgia. This one was merely OK, and OK doesn’t always cut it.

Saw this years ago very good movie! Highly recommended! 👍👍👍👍👍

Great movie!

four friends share joy tragedy life in the tumorous 1960's love happiness death just goes to show that some bonds can't be broken, Great movie great soundtrack.

Ce fil est peut-être mieux connu sous le nom français de Georgia. C'est une très belle histoire d'Amitié et d'Amour qui se déroule sur plus de dix années durant les années soixante. Pour les sensibles, préparez les mouchoirs!

Tells the story of America through teens growing up

Je suis très satisfaite du DVD. Un film des années 80 que j'avais adoré et le réécouter fût un immense bonheur... Toujours aussi bon !

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