Stand by Me (1986) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 1986
Director: Rob Reiner
Cast: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Richard Dreyfuss
Rating: R
Release Date: 8 August 1986
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes

The Movie Review

Stand by Me film still 1


STAND By ME
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

Hmmm...I do really feel reluctant to review this movie especially because I have to see it all over again. It's not that this movie is bad, not at all, on the contrary...this movie is great but heartbreaking and is making me feel sentimental for remembering all my childhood's friends. Stand By Me is deserved to be acclaimed.

The storyline is practically the account of grown-up Gordie remembering his childhood friends when he sees two kids passing by. He tells the story of him and his friends when embarking on a journey to see a kid's dead body that got hit by a train. Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Chris Chamber (River Phoenix), Vern Tessio (Jerry O'Connell) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) are buddies with their own distinctive personality. The four decides to search for the missing body but then discover something even bigger than what they had hoped for, the true friendship and memory that will last forever.

Stand By Me is based on Stephen King's writing The Body and directed by Rob Reiner who is later some people probably would know him by his works such as When Harry Met Sally (1989), A Few Good Men (1992) and Ghost of Mississippi (1996). This movie brought home two Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Director (Rob Reiner) plus one Oscar for Adapted Screenplay. In 1995 there's even a movie similar to Stand by Me, only it's about young girls and entitled Now and Then.

Watching this film makes me feel like a kid again, and oh boy how I miss those moments, you know when everything seems new and every little things count so deeply and intriguing, when we don't even think about girls that much. Boys stuff you know, hangin' around talking about some unimportant stuff, but it's just fun to go out with your friends and teasing each other. I used to have a little adventure too with my friends. Sigh...how I miss those stuff and how this movie alleviate memory's burden.

As simple as the storyline may be, it's clever. All the boys act very genuine and they all say line after line that is true to their age. The movie and the dialogue are not trying to be clever and absolutely far from cheesy. And of course! We won't get Great tear-inducing lines by the conversation of 12-year-old boys, and there are some minor violence too plus some rude language but that's just what this movie needs. I'm glad that this great movie isn't ruined by the dialogue.

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After seeing this movie, you might wonder what really happened to those boys in the real life when they grow up, well they grow up to be better actors but probably only Jerry O'Connell (the fat kid) who really made it to be the most famous of them all until the beginning of the 21st century. There is a bitter coincidence, in the beginning of the movie we are told that Chris Chamber (River Phoenix) stabbed to death, thus makes him the one who dies first, in the real life actor River Phoenix actually also dies first among the other actors in October 31st 1993, with his final movie silent Tongue (1993) in the age of 23 years old.
--Finish of Spoiler Possibility Alert--

Stand by Me is a testimony of childhood memory, and amidst the modern movies with all the violence and nudity, Stand by Me really Stands Out.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com