PaleyFilms

A group of boys go on a long trek through the woods, looking for a dead body, so that they can receive credit from the police for revealing its whereabouts. Along the way they each learn a little bit about friendship, trust, and the realities of life. So goes the premise of Rob Reiner’s film Stand by Me. Based on a novella by Steven King, it is a touching coming of age story, with enough heart to be moving, and enough reality to feel genuine. While not Reiner’s best film, it certainly is one of his most interesting.

While Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell each gives a fine performance, it is their combined chemistry that stands out the most. This is a road movie, and the best kind of road movie; character development comes before story here. Although the boys are in search of a dead body, any other situation could have been substituted. I am very glad that Reiner realized this is a film that needs to focus on its players more than its plot. Through conversations over the course of a comparatively short period of time, these four boys manage to almost lay the paths of life for each other. One very devastating conversation takes place between Wheaton and Phoenix’s character, about how one of them is essentially going to succeed in life, and the other one isn’t. The best way to describe this scene is brutally honest, as you really feel for the characters and hope they have positive futures. Beyond such life-changing talks are simple things, such as singing TV theme songs, and arguments over superheroes. These only add to the film’s authenticity, and make the boys realistic, instead of tired stereotypes. What we get as a result, is a movie that feels very nostalgic and magical.

My only major complaint is that there are side-plots which go on for far too long. During one scene, Gordie (Wheaton), an aspiring author, tells the other boys a story around a campfire. Instead of focusing the camera on the boys’ facial reactions, we have to see the story itself shown to us, at the same time as it is being said. This lacks the subtlety that the rest of the film revels in. Also, there is a side-plot featuring a gang of older boys, who are trying to reach the dead body first, for the same reason as our protagonists. They are featured far too often, as the movie is best while centered on the young boys. None of the older boys’ character development really works very well, and should have been kept to a minimum.

On the whole, Stand by Me, is a nostalgic and beautifully touching road movie, with good acting and wonderful dialogue. While only celluloid, the characters seem realistic and honest. Although it does have its share of flaws, this is a very likable film that just about everyone should check out. If you have a heart, it will strike areas that you never knew existed.