Directed by:
Rob ReinerCinematography:
Thomas Del RuthComposer:
Jack NitzscheCast:
Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, Gary Riley, Bradley Gregg, Marshall Bell, Richard Dreyfuss (more)Plots(1)
In a small woodsy Oregon town, a group of friends--sensitive Gordie (Wil Wheaton), tough guy Chris (River Phoenix), flamboyant Teddy (Corey Feldman), and scaredy-cat Vern (Jerry O'Connell)--are in search of a missing teenager's body. Wanting to be heroes in each other's and their hometown's eyes, they set out on an unforgettable two-day trek that turns into an odyssey of self-discovery. They sneak smokes, tell tall tales, cuss 'cause it's cool and band together when the going gets tough. When they encounter the town's knife-wielding hoods who are also after the body, the boys discover a strength they never knew they had. STAND BY ME is a rare and special film about friendship and the indelible experiences of growing up. Filled with humor and suspense, STAND BY ME is based on the novella 'The Body' by Stephen King. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (8)
At first glance, it's an incredibly unassuming film, much like Stephen King's unassuming novel. But when you take a closer look and let yourself be drawn into the story of a few boys, you realize just how powerful and beautiful the drama is, serving as a portrayal of the differences between being a child and an adult. It's almost like betting. What do you think will become of that boy? No, you can't tell when he's 12 or younger.
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A bunch of youngsters who, a couple of years later, became normal actors, got together here in a pretty solid form and experienced a very extraordinarily ordinary adventure, which I will probably never forget. A great movie adventure done in the American way that reminded me of my childhood, which only adds to it. Nobody makes these ordinary children’s adventures anymore… a pity.
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I first saw Stand by Me a long, long time ago, before I’d even read the original short story by King (I didn’t notice that I knew the story until the separate scenes of the movie started to unfold in front of me) and I really liked it. Now, god knows how many years later, almost nothing has changed. Maybe just that I savored it more and enjoyed seeing the young Kiefer “Jack Bauer" Sutherland in the role of Ace. The young actors put on amazing performances, most of all River Phoenix, who is no longer with us. This really is one of the best adaptations of a King book.
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The 1950s to the fullest, as well as King's proprieties, but the central four boys have no chemistry with each other, nor does Reiner's narration. This adventure has a simple plot but discourages via the narrative lapse that subjectively stretches the runtime to twice its length. This is because there are a dozen more problems the boys worry about before they start liking girls, but instead of a teenage epiphany, we get an endless camera romp without passion or drama.
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My bookcase is decently stocked with Stephen King's work, so it’s no surprise to me that he can write more than just horror stories. I even feel that his great strength is mostly in how engagingly he can write about common things. For example, when I first read “It” I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the passages where the boys (and Beverly) were building a dam in the Barrens and fighting against Henry and his gang. This novella is similar. Fortunately, its great atmosphere was transferred to the film, which is almost unheard of in film adaptations of King's novels. I had a great time. Even though some moments leave a little to be desired after all these years, I stick to my original rating.
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