Judd Nelson Passed on Brat Pack Doc, But Finds Feel-Good Romcom

Barb Oates August 8, 4:41 pm

Judd Nelson now and then, The Engagement Plan — Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection; Great American Family

Andrew McCarthy’s hit Brats documentary, which revisited the teen stars who dominated the box office in the 1980s, debuted on Hulu earlier this summer and was a fascinating and nostalgic reunion of some of our favorite stars, including Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy.

A few noticeably missing stars, however, included Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson.

ST. ELMO'S FIRE, Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Rob Lowe, 1985, (c) Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

“It seems strange to have that subject matter be something for edited entertainment,” Nelson told Us Weekly earlier this year. “Also, like, he’s a nice guy, but I hadn’t seen him in 35 years. … It’s like, why kind of rebirth something that wasn’t necessarily fun? … How can we be experts on something that didn’t ever really exist?”

While the 1980s was filled with films starring Nelson, only The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire [pictured above] were with the greater Brat Pack gang, as Nelson was quick to diversify his resumé shortly thereafter with films like Billionaire Boys Club (1987), New Jack City (1991), the TV series Suddenly Susan (where he played opposite Brooke Shields), Steel (1997), Cabin by the Lake (2000), A Tale of Two Guns (2022) and others.

Nelson is starring this month in the new romcom The Engagement Plan, airing on Great American Pure Flix on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8/7c and on Great American Family on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 8/7c. The film stars Jack Schumacher as Wade, a financial adviser who helps people plan every aspect of their lives. “Planning is the secret to a happy life,” he professes. His next completely orchestrated plan is asking his girlfriend Kayla (Mia Pollini) to marry him. But his plans unravel when Kayla arranges for her parents (played by Ted McGinley and Faith Ford) and Wade’s parents (Judd Nelson and Eva LaRue, pictured below) to meet at her childhood family farm.

Great American Family

Nelson plays Dash Donnelly, Wade’s career-focused but quirky father, whose city-boy ways align with Wade’s. It’s a clash of city culture and country culture in this feel-good flick. He also starred in the 2024 sci-fi thriller South of Hope Street, available to stream free on Tubi or to rent/buy on Prime.