The plot
Stand By Me isn’t like any other coming-of-age drama you’ll ever see. It’s not about the destination for these four boys, it’s all about the journey. Without giving too many spoilers away, let’s give you a brief rundown. Vern, Chris, Teddy, and Gordie overhear that there is a dead body in the woods, near to the train tracks, from Chris’ older brother and his friends. They decide that they’d investigate for themselves, setting off on an expedition for a couple of days, complete with camping equipment and supplies. What happens along their journey provokes big changes in the four boys; changes that are so worth watching for.
The boys
What makes Stand By Me so amazing is the performance from all four of the boys in the movie. There is serious on-screen chemistry between all four of the young guys in the film. You’ll laugh with them, cry with them, and relate to their messing around with each other. Each one has their own special something to bring to the table. Gordie tells the stories, Vern is the sensitive and shy one, Chris is the one with all the wise words, and Teddy is the hilarious and crazy one. There will be at least one of these boys that you can totally relate to throughout their journey (just in case you’re wondering, we’re Chris). Their chemistry together is what makes their friendship – and the movie as a whole – so exciting.
The dialog
There are some moments in Stand By Me that will have you clutching your belly with laughter, especially when you realize they’re coming out of the mouths of 12-year-old boys. We can’t really list them all here for two reasons. One: spoilers. Two: it again comes down to the chemistry the boys have on-screen. You have to hear the joke from their mouths, to actually really enjoy it. But it’s not just the humor that makes the dialog so good, the sentimental lines have it all too. In fact, the joking around in the movie actually makes those sentimental lines all the more unique and hard hitting.
The emotions
Stand By Me was one of the first (and only) movies that show the real inner workings of a young boy. Because, shock horror, boys have real emotions too. With the media always telling boys to ‘toughen up,’ this film brings to light the raw and sometimes heartbreaking emotions that we all go through. Young, old, male or female, you’ll relate to all of the emotions that the four boys portray.
I could go on forever about why Stand By Me is one of the greatest movies ever made – or, you could watch it for yourself and just see what we mean. Trust me, you’ll never look back.
