Review of Stand by Me (1986) by Indi V — 13 Sep 2015
If it doesn't have the crown of best coming of age movie, it should at least by in the discussion for it.
Our story involves four young boys on a trek to find the body of another young boy killed by a passing train. All four of the boys are played so authentically by their actors, but the true testament of their talents is the chemistry all four share with each other. It truly adds just that little something extra and makes the film just that much more believable.
While all four are great, the two that stand out most are our main character (Wil Wheaton as a kid, Richard Dreyfuss as an adult) and River Phoenix. The camaraderie between Wheaton and Phoenix seems the strongest of the lot, and both boys make the most of it. Both of them are given the film's two most touching moments: Phoenix when he's telling a story about stealing money and Wheaton when he talks about his dead brother. The sheer honesty of these two moments are just so powerful.
The other aspects of the film are solid. The screenplay is quite good and earned a well deserved Oscar nod, but this film belongs to our four young leads, who elevate the film to something outstanding.
This review of Stand by Me (1986) was written by Indi V on 13 Sep 2015.
Stand by Me has generally received very positive reviews.
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