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." The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 81% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on sixteen reviews. Film critic Aljean Harmetz of The New York Times wrote in her review: "For a movie that cost $60,000, The Return of the Secaucus Seven is traveling in heady company. Most $60,000 movies play at two film festivals, then end up on a 16-millimeter projector in their director's living room. The Return of the Secaucus Seven, about seven antiwar activists who spend a weekend together 10 years later, was the surprise hit of last spring's Los Angeles Filmex festival. The movie was also selected as one of the 10 best films of 1980 by The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times and Time magazine, and last week it was nominated by the Writers Guild as best comedy written directly for the screen. When it opened an unsuccessful commercial run in New York last September, Vincent Canby, although expressing some reservations, praised the film as sweet and engaging and an honest, fully realized movie. Today it will try again, opening at the Quad in Greenwich Village this time." ReleaseReturn of the Secaucus 7'' was released in United States theatres on September 5, 1980. The film was first released for home entertainment by RCA/Columbia (VHS) and Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (Betamax) in 1982. It was released on DVD by MGM Home Entertainment on September 16, 2003. Accolades 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". References External links 1980 films 1980 drama films American independent films American political drama