Stand by Me

**A good film about the value of friendship and companionship.** This is one of those films that becomes adorable not only because of what it shows and tells us, but also because of the affective memories it awakens in us, or even because of the messages it brings and which it explains in its narrative. The value of friendships is a more than common theme in cinema, but perhaps this is one of the most paradigmatic and memorable films when the subject is precisely that. Very consistently based on a book by Stephen King, the plot is simple: four young friends get together to find the corpse of a boy who disappeared, and set off on a long journey on foot that will take them through a series of obstacles and difficulties, and that will test the friendship and unity of the group. The matter itself ends up being quite irrelevant, no one cares about the dead boy. What matters is the journey of the four boys and the way they overcome difficulties, forgetting their differences and what eventually separates them. Each of them has their own sad story: broken homes, families with little structure, domestic violence, dramatic family losses (a father, an older brother…). In short, none of them is a boy born with a silver spoon or into a well-positioned family. And the film explores this very well, with inspired dialogue and absolutely believable and well-conceived situations. Rob Reiner is a very effective director who knows very well what he wants. One of the points in which he shined most was in choosing the filming locations, designing the sets and reconstituting the period (the film takes place in the late 1950s, at the height of the post-war “American dream”): the director It really manages to transport us to the past and to magnificently designed and credible places. Another point he valued was the choice of actors for the four main characters. In addition to being a perfect fit in terms of age and physique, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, River Phoenix and Wil Wheaton are very talented and do their best with their characters and their material. Without the effort of these four young people, the film would not have the strength it has. On a technical level, the film stands out for its good cinematography, the sets, costumes and props that I mentioned above, the choice of period cars and an excellent soundtrack, featuring some iconic melodies of the time.

There’s a line at the end of this that asks whether or not we’ll ever have better friends in our lives than we did at the age of twelve? Spouses notwithstanding, it’s probably quite a fair assertion as illustrated by these four lads. They are from different sides of the tracks, literally, in a small town Oregon where a lad their own age has gone missing. Determined to do their bit to help - and fuelled by a slightly morbid curiosity - “Chris” (River Phoenix), “Gordie” (Wil Wheaton), “Teddy” (Corey Feldman) and “Vern” (Jerry O’Connell) set off to see if they can’t become the heroes of the hour. They are not the only glory hunters, though, as “Ace” (Kiefer Sutherland) and his bunch are also on the hunt. Will either of them win out? That in itself isn’t really very important. What this film does depict is a potent observation of just how these four lads conduct themselves for the few days we spend with them. Like any group of friends, some are closer to some than others; they are of an age where they are beginning to hit puberty and obsess about sex but most of all there is an inter-reliance that all of them think is bound to last for ever. Helped along by a sparing soundtrack, the really quite sharp dialogue gives all of them their moment in the sun, but I thought it was ultimately Wheaton who emerged the strongest from these four individuals. It’s not without it’s fun. It’s excess of leeches, cherry pies and castor oil; some cheeky and amiable banter throughout and the occasional intervention from the older Sutherland reminds us that their lives, at this stage, are at the start of a rite of passage that is akin to rutting with their more physically stronger rivals. I don’t think this is a coming of age drama in any traditional sense. I think it more a mobile fly on the wall look at how important friendship and loyalty can be when people are of an age where they think the world is upon their shoulders instead of being their oyster. Time hasn’t done it any harm, either, and after almost forty years it’s still a poignant tale about the intensity of, and need for, companionship.

<em>'Stand by Me'</em> is undeniably an 80s flick - and a good one at that. The kid actors aren't actually all that great in terms of the performances that they give, though do have likeability and a beliveable friendship that make them worthy of watching across a road trip of sorts. Corey Feldman is the only youngster onscreen that I thought that I previously knew of, though I now see that Jerry O'Connell (<em>'Kangaroo Jack'</em>, whatta film) appears - unrecognisable! The much more identifiable Kiefer Sutherland and John Cusack are in this too. As noted at the top, the cast are fine but work best as a collective. I was wondering all the way through if they were actually going to use the great Ben E. King track at some point, so you can imagine my happiness upon hearing those first few notes sneaking in at the conclusion. A fitting end, to a movie that my uncle has been recommending for a while - a generational favourite, evidently. I get it.