The Outsider: Why We Love Andrew McCarthy and Dig His New Book

“…and of Andrew McCarthy, one of the New York based actors in St. Elmo’s Fire, a co-star says ‘He plays all his roles with too much of the same intensity. I don’t think he’ll make it.’ The Brat Packers save their praise for themselves….”

• From David Blum’s “Birth of Hollywood’s Brat Pack” article, published in June 10^th, 1985 issue of New York magazine

By James Kenney

A teenager in the latter part of the 80s, I steadfastly tried to get my dad to assent to whatever qualities I could find in the films where my heroes were now being exposed as mere mortals, starring in indifferent productions that were unsuccessful at the box office– Molly Ringwald is pretty good in For Keeps, yes?  Well the second half of Judd Nelson’s From the Hip, when John Hurt shows up, that’s good, right?  Sure, Blue City with Nelson…