Stand by Me Movie Review

Stand by Me (1986)

Rent Stand by Me on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the novella (paid link)
Written by: Stephen King (novel), Raynold Gideon & Bruce A. Evans (screenplay)
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Richard Dreyfuss, John Cusack
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.

Verdict
This is fueled by nostalgia, and it captures how everything seems larger when you're twelve. It's the kind of adventure that is mostly fantasy but feels just real enough. Even the happiest parts of this movie are tinged with sadness as these boys confront their own securities during their journey. It's the figurative transition into adulthood, and that can be a harrowing realization.
Watch It.

Review
The story is framed by an adult recounting a story from his youth. He and three friends were on a quest to see a dead body. It's the kind of thing that intrigues twelve year olds. This movie is steeped in nostalgia, and there's always a market for a movie about an adult reliving childhood. Watching this, I thought about my childhood of exploring the woods and train tracks near my house and biking around the neighborhood with my friends

River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton play Chris, Gordie

Gordie (Wil Wheaton) and his friends certainly don't live idyllic childhoods. Gordie's older brother was killed and his parents ignore Gordie, devastated by the loss. They had always favored his brother anyway. Teddy's (Corey Feldman) dad beats him, and Teddy is the crazy one. At that age you don't know why he acts like that, but as an adult you know the root cause. Chris's (River Phoenix) family's reputation means people only see him as a delinquet. 

It's adventures, bullies, friendships, and bodies. This is fantasy, but who doesn't want a group of rag tag friends and a grand adventure? At twelve, the world seems infinite. You don't see the boundaries that trap you as an adult, but those invisible walls are beginning to close in. Each of these kids is beginning to feel the restrictions placed upon them, and each one of them has been disappointed by adults. Part of what marks the departure from childhood is realizing that adults aren't always right and don't always have it together. This is an actual trek to find a missing boy and a figurative journey out of childhood.

Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell play Gordie, Teddy, Chris, Vern

This is Gordie's adventure, and he's trying to figure out where he fits with his friends and in the world. This journey helps him determine that. They set out for a destination, but this journey is a chance for them to grow. They were all pushed to face their insecurities. At the end of this trek, Gordie has developed confidence. With journeys like this, when you get back home things go back to normal as this is always outside of time and place. The boys grew up and drifted apart. That's what helps make this conclusion feel real. This isn't a happy ending. Things just drift. Even the happiest parts of this movie are bittersweet. Gordie looks back on this adventure because it helped shape him. He misses his friends, but he misses the feeling of this adventure more. It was a cornerstone moment in his life; a bond that distance and time couldn't break.