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A sleeper hit when released in 1986, Stand by Me is based on Stephen King's novella 'The Body' (from the book Different Seasons); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, The Princess Bride. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A softer side of the King of horror...
I expected something different from `Stand by Me'; that is, since it was written by Stephen King (the novella from which the film was adapted from was) I was expecting something thrilling or scary. What I got was something completely opposite yet equally engaging. Instead of a horror film or even a tense thriller, we are presented with a deeply moving story about friendship, relationships and boyhood. `Stand by Me' is a beautifully told story of adolescence; of four boys who find that central ... Read More
Rating:  - Different opinion than others here
I bought this movie recently. I had never heard of it before, but it was cheap, and it sounded like something my 11 and 10 year old sons might enjoy (my husband too, since he's always been an outdoorsman).
We all sat down to watch, and first off, I was annoyed by the boys smoking. On the back cover, it said that the kids 'sneak' smokes. Well, they acted like pros at it! Not like a kid just 'giving it a try' and gagging and coughing, but they acted like it was something they always did, like ... Read More
Rating:  - Stands By Its Reputation
STAND BY ME is an amazing film that totally captures small town life, the late 1950's and more universally what it's like to be at that in between age of 12 or 13. It is incredible how much we learn about the four friends - Chris, Gordie, Teddy and Vern - in a relatively short amount of time. This can be credited to the performances of the young actors (all are excellent but River Phoenix really shines) guided by the expert direction of Rob Reiner and maybe most importantly the heartfelt source material, ... Read More
Rating:  - Maybe Nostalgia Would Have Helped
I just sat down and watched this movie for the first time after hearing about it for as long as I can remember. And I was less than impressed.
The story follows the journey of four boys - Vern, Teddy, Chris, and Gordie (Jerry O'Connell, Corey Feldman, River Phoenix, and Wil Wheaton) as they transition from boy to man. Or at least teen. The summer before they start Jr. High, a boy their own age goes missing. When Vern hears where the boy's body is, they set out to find it so they can become ... Read More
Rating: - Maybe the best film about growing up ever made
Stand by Me is probably one the strongest films about friendship ever made. It really does make its older audience travel back in time to when we were young and hanging out with our buddies planning to do something extraordinary for the summer. It is all about `coming of age', never over sentimental, yet remaining thoroughly heart rendering in its depiction of youths discovering their inner adult self.
Written by Steven King, this is one of his `Shawshank Redemptions' stories that contains thrills ... Read More
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