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Stand by Me

Stand by Me (1986)

August. 08,1986
|
8.1
|
R
| Drama Crime

After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

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ranieri71
1986/08/08

I've seen quite a few comments questioning why this movie is so highly rated. I remember it fondly from my childhood and re-watched it recently after seeing a spoof of it in Season 7 of the Family Guy. I didn't recall the movie being so short (though I like 1:30 movies), actually kind of boring, and an ending that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But to answer the question about why it is liked, I suspect many of the individuals who rank this movie very highly are men and possibly were kids in the 80s. That fits my description. The 4 kids in the movie were just a couple years younger than me, though at the time they acted my age. Every kid had a group they hung out with and being 12 or so is about the most carefree time of your life. I never had an adventure quite like this, was never bullied to this extreme, but we did explore the woods, uncover cool stuff, admit our vulnerabilities, joke around, and even cry. Add in a narrator, and some cool 50s music, 4 kids you would want to hang out with (even if they would never be actual friends in real life) and you pretty much can't go wrong. Thus the 8 star rating I gave the movie. Sentimentality wins in this movie.However, in terms of actual entertainment, it falls a little short. It is interesting, sentimental, and overall a neat story that is worth watching. But it does not deserve a 9 or 10 rating in my opinion.One big question I've never seen answered anywhere is why did the kids want the body so bad? Why were they willing to be terribly beat up or even killed for it? Then willing to kill others for it. Only to then just leave it and call it in? This makes no sense. Why did the bullies not just wait and jump the kids or sneak up from behind, there were over 7 of them?!? Finally in the recap there was no mention of Kiefer's character getting revenge (thanks, Family Guy). He said this is not over, but did he just move on with his life? Did he suddenly have a religious experience and forgiveness? Did both cars crash on the way back home that day and all of them died? There's a huge hole in the end of this movie that really frustrated me to the point I almost lowered this move that was treasured in my mind down to 7 stars. Well, ultimately many movies have plot holes and the positives of this movie and the very last scene where Richard Dreyfus types the final 2 lines of his book convinced me to keep it at 8 stars so that is that.

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bankofmarquis
1986/08/09

Remember the days of your youth, when Summer was just one long vacation - where you and your buddies would take off and let the day unfold as it presents itself - no schedules, no meetings and the only clock was the rising and setting of the sun?Such, nostalgic, feelings and remembrances is at the heart of the 1986 Rob Reiner film, STAND BY ME, a "coming of age" tale of boys on the cusp of leaving boyhood behind.Based on a Stephen King novella, STAND BY ME follows the adventures of Gordie LaChance and his pals Vern, Teddy and Chris as they set off to find the body of a young man who has been missing - and presumed dead.But it is not the destination that is at the heart of this story, it is the journey - and what a journey, filled with heart, it is. We join in with these 4 boys as the walk towards the unknown - both physically and (more importantly) metaphorically, growing and developing in front of our eyes.Credit for this film has to start with Director Rob Reiner - mainly known before this film as "Meathead" on the classic TV Series ALL IN THE FAMILY. This was Reiner's 5th film as a Director and, I believe, announced his "arrival" as a signature Director. Look at the run Reiner had. In order, he directed THIS IS SPINAL TAP, THE SURE THING, STAND BY ME, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, MISERY and A FEW GOOD MEN. I would also include THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI in this list, but they come after the misfire NORTH. But, 9 out of 10 good films is quite the track record.What struck me in this showing of the film (seen on the big screen for the first time by me since 1986) is the contrast between intimacy and enormity. When the boys are on their trek, Reiner shoots a good deal of these scenes from a distance - showing how small these boys are in comparison to the world around them. But, when the scene is an intimate, dialogue, character-driven scene, he tightens his shots right into the faces of the 4 leads, creating an intimacy that draws us into these characters.The other credit has to go to whomever cast this film - for the 4 unknown boys that were cast in the leads were well cast, indeed.Start with Wil Wheaton as Gordie. Gordie has spent his whole life in the shadow of his over-achieving "All American" brother, trying to be noticed for who - and what - he is, an author, not an athlete. Wheaton brings the right combination of determination, intelligence and vulnerability to Gordie, giving us a protagonist we can root for. Jerry O'Connell was funnier than I remembered as the "fat kid", Vern, who just wants to play by the rules, but always goes along with his friends, despite his better judgement. Corey Feldman has never been better than he is here as Teddy Duchamp - a young boy with a troubled home life - and a troubled life - that is trying to control, and understand, the rage inside of him.But it is the work of the late River Phoenix as Chris Chambers, the "leader" of this group that really shines. He is the glue that keeps this foursome together, strong but showing a vulnerability and a "realistic" view of what it is to be a misunderstood youth - the hurt that comes with that and the walls that one puts up to combat that. Phoenix commands the screen in every scene that he is in and when the scene is just Phoenix and Wheaton, you are drawn into a real friendship. I was surprised, at this viewing, at how serious this film is - and the topics that this film addresses - but those moments are wisely balanced by scenes of action/adventure (like the train tressel scene), comedy (like the the "lard-ass" pie eating scene) and "other" moments (the leaches!).This is one of those films that is getting better with time - it is aging well - and, rightfully, fits in the category of "Modern Classic".Letter Grade: A

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adam-may-bower
1986/08/10

'Stand By Me' is a moving coming-of-age film, with brilliant directing by Rob Reiner and commendable acting from its young cast. This film may have it's few little flaws, but they are ultimately overlooked by the amount of heart in this movie. This film had me emotionally invested from the first scene and has resonated deeply within me. I have never watched a movie before that made me ponder so much about my own life and feel intense feelings of nostalgia. The simple, yet captivating story allows this film to focus on it's complex and relatable characters, which are all played superbly by the child actors. The two supporting characters out of the foursome, played by Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell, are not exactly likeable in the way you'd expect them to be, it's really the two main characters, played brilliantly by Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix, that are the highlight of the film and beautifully represent childhood friendships. When combined with Reiner's smart directing, striking cinematography by Thomas Del Ruth and the great selection of 50's music, you get a near-perfect and beautiful film about childhood, innocence, and death.

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georgepsoady
1986/08/11

Stand By Me is a brilliant film. This isn't because the "direction is great" or because "the soundtrack sounds is nostalgic", its because it does something very few films can, and that is to capture the transitional period from child to teenager. It is brutally honest and at times even too personal. This is shown brilliantly at the end of the movie when its protagonist, Gordie Lachance, now a man with two kids and a successful career as a writer, typing these exact words into his computer: "Do we really ever have friends as good as the ones when we were twelve?". That one line left a massive gulp in my throat for an hour the film ended, showing this really is one of the best coming-of-age films there is (and probably ever will be).What the film does exceptionally well is changing your emotions within the space of 85 great minutes. At the start of the film we laugh and giggle thinking "Hey, I was once like that", and at the end, this time now with a few tears down our eyes we say again "Hey, I was one like that".Although at times it is a little too sentimental and nostalgic, I don't have anything negative to say about Stand By Me. Many critics would probably argue the film is too short and could be a lot longer but yet, childhood is exactly the same and the film embraces that perfectly.

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