My Review of Stand By Me (1986)

 

Written by Raynold Gideon And Bruce A. Evans

Directed by Rob Reiner

Gordie: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

In a few months time, this movie will hit it's 40th anniversary and it's also one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King short story (specifically The Body). 

You've got four young lads - Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix), Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) and Vern Tessio (Jerry O'Connell). Each of them with their own distinct personalities but it's Gordie that was the unofficial centre focus of this story

The lads heard about a dead body of a boy named Ray Brower. Well, it was Vern eavesdropping on his brother, Billy (Casey Siemaszko) and the latter's friend, Charlie (Gary Riley) talking about it. Gordie and company decided that they are going to find the body first before Billy and his friends, led by Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland) get there first.

It's a fun journey where the lads had to dodge trains, fend off actual leeches, ridicule each other at every turn and even combat the cantankerous Milo Pressman (William Bronder) and his not so vicious dog, Chopper. Pressman in particular got under Teddy's skin, making him a rather callous adult.

One of the best things about this movie was how we got to know bits about each of the lads. Teddy's dad was abusive, Chris propped up Gordie but kept putting himself down while Vern and Teddy would drift apart from Gordie and Chris at a later date. Gordie dealing with his older brother, Denny (John Cusack) dying was also rather affecting.

As for the body itself, there's a good stand off between the boys and that gang with Gordie humiliating Ace. The latter's a scumbag, nicely played by Sutherland. Ace himself did vow revenge but no one took him seriously. By the way the film ended, I don't think Ace got his chance to get even.

- The last scene had Richard Dreyfus as the older Gordie who became a writer. Chris was a lawyer who got stabbed. Gordie read about his death at the start of the movie.

- The grossest moment was Teddy recalling the story of David "Lard-Ass" Hogan (Andy Lindberg) and a certain pie eating contest.

- Gordie's father was the couch from A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge and his mother was in Gremlins, Footloose and Back To The Future.

- Ray Brower was in the Lard Ass story. I hadn't realised that until I read up on the movie.

- Standout music: Ben E. King's Stand By Me of course.

- Chronology: Mostly in 1959 during Labor Day, Castle Rock but the first and last scenes are set in 1985.

Stand By Me would definitely be in my Top 5 in terms of Stephen King adaptations. It's such a perfect movie and one that does have a genuinely timeless feel to it. A brilliant movie with a great commentary on friendship.

Rating: 9 out of 10