what happen in the making of this movie so that it end up a the total mess it be . just one year after the breakfast club and a brilliant movie with many of the same actor a in st. elmo fire ( who by the way look and act in the latter more like they be still the high school misfit from the former but without the grip or discipline in portray their role . be it the directing or the writing . since it be the same person ( joel schumacher ) it must be both . but then schumacher have since give u the phantom of the opera and phone booth and a time to kill and and two batman movie and batman and robin and batman forever which range from good to great directing . something go wrong on stef because it have no genius whatsoever and no comedy worth anything and and be very far off the mark on what be truly valuable in life . example represent the character wendy ( a rich little girl with a heart to do good and help the less fortunate play by mare winningham ) reveal to billy ( an unruly slob who cheat on his wife and on his girlfriend and drink far too much and have no sense of order in his life appropriately play by rob lowe ) that she be still a virgin . billy truly see a challenge and possible conquest but wendy be not ready . wendy and in fact be so not ready it be hard to believe she be in this clique of friend . later in the story and when billy whose wife have leave him take his child and marry another have somehow draw some of the string of his life together . billy be leave for new york and deserting and abandon all parental responsibility for his baby daughter and he convince wendy that her virginity would be the perfect go away gift from her to him . and wendy and who work a a social worker help broken family and seem not to be phase at all by this despot . give me a break . the one thing she can only give once and she give to a loser who be leave his family and friend . schumacher frame this scene a a wonderful and touching moment . many more example exist where there be a complete disconnect between what be real and of value be toss overboard and the act be make to look like virtue . i suppose some may say that that be the 80 but i remember it be in the 80 that men begin to be hold responsible for the child they father whether in a marriage or out . i think this movie be so bad because it be so out of sync with what it really valuable and right . a for the technique ( not the story ) and it be terrible as well . it be disjoint and feel like a 3 hour movie that have be edit to 1 hour and 40 minute . transition and jump in time simply do not make sense . pick up what be on the editing room floor and put it back in and the movie would probably flow much well . but it still be a horrible movie . maybe schumacher have become a well and strong director since 1986 ( he must have ) or maybe he be over his head when it come to write the screenplay for st elmo fire or maybe this group of actor take over the set and go their own way that be what i really think happen .