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Critical Analysis of Stand by Me

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Submitted By Mikey757
Words 690
Pages 3
Review of the film "Stand By Me"

3/28/2016
Hum/150 Dr. Evans

Stand By Me, is a coming-of-age story based off of the Stephen King short story entitled "The Body." The film could be categorized as a drama, adventure or comedy depending on which scene you are watching. I'm gonna label it an adventure, to me an adventure should be packed with a little bit of everything. Stand By Me takes place in the 1950's in rural Oregon. Four friends Gordy (Wil Wheaton),
Chris(River Phoenix), Teddy(Corey Feldman) and Vern(Jerry O'Connell) embark n a treachorous hike to discover the body of a local boy who is presumed dead. During their trip they have to scramble for food, dodge trains, avoid local bullies, remove leeches and protect equipment from aterrifying dog named
Chopper.Throughout their adventure the best buds also come to grips with issues in their personal lives
There were many techniques used to help tell the story for Stand By Me. First off, most scenes involve all four of the main characters. This made me feel the togetherness of their group and showed how much of a bond they really had with each other. The sound was great, particularly the soundtrack.
The oldies helped place you in the 50's, as well as the jargon used by the characters. The setting for most of the film was outdoors and most the time along the train tracks they were following. A lot of wide camera shots and angles were used to give the viewer a better idea of their surroundings and the tremendous journey they were facing. One scene stands out to me the most. The gang was crossing a tall railroad bridge and a train was heard bearing down on them. The wide angle shot displayed the boys running for their lives with the train bearing down on them.

The theme of the movie. Socially, was the dysfunctional families that the boys lived with daily. Teddy, the son of a WWII veteran, is abused physically by his father, known as a "loony" and frequent visitor of Psych wards. Teddy has several scenes in which he displays utter disregard for his personal safety. Chris, the sort of hero of the story, is from a broken home and sibling to the leader of the local gang. Gordy is ignored by his parents who seem to be in an almost catatonic state of shock due to the untimely death of their other son Denny, local sports legend, played by Jon Cusack. Finally there is Vern, overweight and not the smartest guy, undoubtedly the butt of the town's jokes.
The overall meaning of the story is to cherish your friends and the memories you have with them. Especially the memories of your adolescence, a very impressionable time of most people's lives. After supporting each other amid the chaotic happenings and dysfunctional home lives, the close-knit crew just sort of drifted apart. The narrator, an older Gordy, says "it happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of our lives sometimes, like busboys in a restaurant." I'd have to say that I agree, it is strange how vividly we can remember our youth, but have trouble remembering basically all of my 20's.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It incorporated youthful innocence , something you miss when you're older, and the suspenseful pursuit of the unknown. The comraderie and playful banter between the boys is entertaining and familiar to me. I grew up listening to oldies and the soundtrack was familiar and great. I also enjoyed the 50's era slang as these kind of turn-back-the-clock movies often fascinate me.

I would definetly recommend this movie to anyone that has not seen it. I was the same age as the characters in the movie when I saw it and it is one of my all-time favorites. I give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The performance by River Phoenix alone is worth the watch. It is unfortunate that this was one of the few glimpses we had of the brilliance that he was blessed with.

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