Return of the Secaucus 7 is a 1980 drama film written and directed by John Sayles. It features Bruce MacDonald, Maggie Renzi, Adam LeFevre, Maggie Cousineau, Gordon Clapp, Jean Passanante, and others.[2]
The picture may have inspired The Big Chill (1983), which is a more widely known film. [3] However, writer/director Lawrence Kasdan has denied having seen Return of the Secaucus 7 before working on The Big Chill.[4]
It tells the story of seven friends who spend a weekend together in New Hampshire. The weekend is marred by the break-up of a relationship between two of the friends. This causes a ripple effect among the group and brings up old desires and problems.
Contents[]
Cast[edit][]
- Bruce MacDonald as Mike Donnelly
- Maggie Renzi as Katie Sipriano
- Adam LeFevre as J.T.
- Maggie Cousineau as Frances Carlson
- Gordon Clapp as Chip Hollister
- Jean Passanante as Irene Rosenblum
- Karen Trott as Maura Tolliver
- Mark Arnott as Jeff Andrews
- David Strathairn as Ron Desjardins
- John Sayles as Howie
- Marisa Smith as Carol
- Amy Schewel as Lacey Summers
- Carolyn Brooks as Meg
- Eric Forsythe as Captain
- Nancy Mette as Lee
Reception[edit][]
Critical response[edit][]
Film critic Emanuel Levy liked the film and wrote, "The movie became influential, launching a cycle of "reunion" films, which included The Big Chill and the TV series Thirtysomething. As a portrait of disenchantment, Return was more authentic and honest than Lawrence Kasdan's star-studded Big Chill...A rueful movie about unexceptional lives that have prematurely grown stale, Secaucus is a bit commonplace, lacking genuine drama. But Sayles uses effectively a discursive, episodic format; he constructs strong scenes with resonant dialogue. The characters are complex and individually distinguished by speech, gesture, and manner."[5]
Critic Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat wrote, "Here's a nice little movie about the baby boom generation...Novelist John Sayles wrote, directed, and edited this movie. It is a labor of love. We watch these laidback individuals share their stories and reminisce about the past...But these baby boomers can't handle tension; the rift between Jeff and Maura sends tremors through the weekend. And although they put up a front of having a good time, one senses that things haven't turned out well for them — either in terms of meaningful relationships or in terms of personal fulfillment. Return of the Secaucus Seven leaves one with a rueful feeling about this generation."[6]
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 79% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on eleven reviews.[7]
Accolades[edit][]
Wins
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: LAFCA Award; Best Screenplay, John Sayles; 1980.
- Boston Society of Film Critics Awards: BSFC Award; Best Independent Film; 1981.
Nominations
- Writers Guild of America, East: WGA Award (Screen); Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen, John Sayles; 1981.
Other distinctions
- In 1997, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".