Stand By Me (1986) is more than just any typical coming-of-age movie that you remember for some days and forget! No, it is a timeless tale of true, priceless friendship that we all have once. Stand By Me captures some of the most authentic moments of childhood memories that everybody can relate to. Even when we get old, those memories keep us young. That is why very few movies have come close to such a masterpiece.
Stand By Me (1986) Movie Review
Verdict: “A Timeless Childhood Classic.”
Ratings: 10/10
Release Year: 1986
Series: Standalone
Director: Rob Reiner
Actors and Characters:
| Wil Wheaton | – | Gordie Lachance |
| River Phoenix | – | Chris Chambers |
| Corey Feldman | – | Teddy Duchamp |
| Jerry O’Connell | – | Vern Tessio |
| Kiefer Sutherland | – | John “Ace” Merrill |
Does it hold up today? : Most Definitely
Genre: Coming-of-Age | Drama | Classic | Inspirational |
Stand By Me (1986) Remastered Trailer (Credit: Izzie’s Kids):
Stand By Me Movie Summary:
Four friends go in search of an adventure of a lifetime to see the dead body of someone named Ray Brower. On this life-changing trip, they learn more about each other, life, family, and future.
It has been 37 years since Stand By Me was released, and after so many years, it still holds as the best childhood movie ever made. There are many other movies like To Kill a Mocking Bird (1962), Sandlot (1993), Goonies (1985), and others. But this movie captures the essence of being a child.
Those Happy Good-Old Childhood Days:
Childhood is the time when we are free to do anything we want. We can play, roam, scream at the top of our lungs, fight, bond, and create powerful memories that last a lifetime. It is hard to even describe to someone how we felt during those days. But Stand By Me perfectly captures those childhood moments with pitch-perfect accuracy. It puts you back in the age when you were a child and playing with your friends.
Chemistry in Stand By Me:
Being a child is one of the most beautiful moments of our lives. We are innocent, and we have little idea about how the world works. However, Stand By Me shows how the world of adults affects children’s minds. The Stand By Me cast is one of the best ever put in such a movie. It includes a fat person (Vern Tessio), a laughable and emotionally awkward nerd (Teddy Duchamp), a perfect leader (Chris Chambers), and a timid yet understandable young lad (Gordie Lachance). The chemistry between each character works beyond perfection.
Moment of Truth:
As life goes by, we regret the things we did in the past or, on the contrary, enjoy them. The people around us shape our personality, and they make us take some of the difficult decisions in our lives. Stand By Me shows how the fight between parents, unfulfilled desires, broken dreams, and lack of courage leads to long-term damage to our lives. Maybe you were a child who was naughty and talkative in childhood, but as time went by, you learned to speak less with people or vice versa.
Bonding and Courage:
In the movie, all the characters bond well with each other and provide comic relief whenever necessary. The four friends learn to trust and rely on each other as they face their fears and challenges on their journey. Their bond grows stronger as they share their stories and experiences, and they learn to support each other through thick and thin.
Heartbreaks and Sad Ending:
Many movies end with a “happy note,” making all the characters find meaning in life and meet again, but the ending here is quite the opposite. At the end, you get a monologue from grown-up Gordie, who says that life is not what you expect…it just happens to you. You will feel wounded after watching the unexpected ending of the movie, but those long roads, the locations of the town, and the moments will be permanently imprinted in your mind.
Concussion:
Stand By Me (1986) is a must-watch movie you cannot miss. It is funny and serious when it needs to be and balances different emotions very well. The movie also shows how things around the children affect their lives in the future. It does not apologize for saying or showing things that are real. Few movies like Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Sandlot (1993) show them. Every time you watch this movie, your heart takes a ride back to the 1980s and 1990s. And it reminds you that once there really was a golden period of childhood.
