Bruce Lee Movie:

				Salesrank: 230468
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
A sleeper hit when released in 1986, Stand by Me is based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" (from the book Different Seasons); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, The Princess Bride. --Jeff Shannon

Stand by Me [Region 2] Reviews:
Memories of childhood
2009-11-27 - This has always been one of my favorite movies. Having seen it at least two dozen times overt the years, it still hasn't gotten old. Adapted from the Stephen King novella "The Body" from the collection Different Seasons, the film follows four friends as they set out to find the dead body of a missing boy so they can become "heroes". Sensitive Gordie, tough but kindhearted Chris, troubled Teddy, and Vern, the proverbial fat kid, your sure to identify yourself with at least one of these characters. Watching this film, it's nearly impossible not to start thinking about your own childhood friends and the adventures you had together. And it's true, you never will have friends again quite like the ones you had when you were twelve.

Still My All-Time Favorite Movie
2009-11-16 - I first saw this movie when I was 7 years old. I'm 29 now, and it is still my all-time favorite movie. A wonderful movie about boyhood friendship and the different problems that each kid faces in his home life or in social situations. Four boys set off on a journey to find the body of a dead kid, but it's much more than that. The movie is about the camaraderie of the boys and the problems that each one faces. Chris, the leader of the gang, comes from a family with a bad reputation and therefor is labeled bad by the other people in the town. Gordie is a kid who is coping with the death of his own brother, but more than that, the lack of a relationship between him and his father. Teddy has a dad who is very abusive because he suffers mental problems from his experiences in WWII. Vern is kind of the social outcast. Certainly not one of the most popular kids in school.

Now, about some of the other reviews I have read and you may have read yourself: First of all, let me start by saying that if you're a self-esteem movement parent and can't stand curse words because they greatly offend you, stay away from this movie. This movie is very realistic. Believe it or not, 12 year-old kids swear, get over it. My friends and I swore long before that, but we never did it in front of adults. We didn't do it because we saw it in movies. We did it to act rebellious and thought it made us look older than we were, just like every other 12 year-old kid. These kids in the movie are just like any other 12 year-old boys. So do not use this movie as a scapegoat. Like I said, just get over the fact that 12 year-old boys do swear.

Second of all, this is NOT a chick flick like a couple of reviewers have said. Yes, this is not an action-packed Die Hard type movie, but that doesn't make it a chick flick. I'm a guy. All my friends like this movie, guys and girls, and none of the guys ever called it a chick flick. It's no more of a chick flick than the movie Rudy, which I have never heard of receiving that accusation. If you're that insecure in your masculinity, then please just stay away from the movie.

As long as the last two things I mentioned don't apply to you, order the movie right now!

Lacks The Character Development Of King's Novella
2009-09-06 - In the novella "The Body" written by Stephen King that this film is based upon, a group of boys set out to find a local dead body, and end up finding more out about themselves than anything. Along the way, master wordsmith King is able to develop each and every character to a point where readers can really care for or sympathize with their problems or successes.

In this film version, "Stand By Me", though, that incredible character development is lacking. I realize I am a bit "tainted", as I know what I was missing, but suffice it to say that after the novella experience, the film just seemed to lack that extra "oomph" to turn it into any sort of classic.

Of course, I probably am expecting the impossible in this situation, as director Rob Reiner likely did everything he could to develop four very different young men in the span of only 88 minutes, but just that limitation alone drags the story down a bit. Whereas King (as he is known to do) can, in a very in-depth fashion, probe the personal lives of each of his characters, Reiner is restricted to a series of flashbacks that just don't have the same emotional connection with the viewer as King does with the reader.

Now, don't get me wrong...I don't think that this is a bad film by any stretch of the word. If you have not read the novella, I think you might be inclined to give it another star in the rating column (don't expect "classic" status, though). However, if you (like I was) are looking for faces to be put to King's classic characters, locations, and themes, then you will likely be a bit disappointed, as "Stand By Me" fails to carry that mantra like some others have (including "The Shawshank Redemption", a classic movie based on a story in the same collection as "The Body").

Awesome!!!!
2009-07-19 - The movie "Stand By Me" was a film based off the novel by Stephen King known as "The Body." But for all who have seen it, you may notice it doesn't seem like the Stephen King type, I mean compare it to "The Shining" or "It," this is a family flick with an R rating. I mean don't get me wrong, it's got a lot of adult content throughout the film like Chris (River Phoenix) swiping a loaded gun from his wasted dad, Ace (Kiefer Sutherland) almost stabbing Chris in the throat, Gordie (Wil Wheaton) threating to shoot Ace with the gun, the kids smoking, most of the characters constantly muttering bad swears, you know the rest. The part that most of the viewers out there including I, made us pee our pants was the train scene which Teddy (Corey Feldman) declares "the all-time train dodge." Aw, Speaking of Teddy I love that little guy! He's not afraid of nothin', he wasn't afraid to cross an old 100 foot bridge, he wasn't afraid to dodge an on-coming train, and he almost joined the army, what an awesome dude. And Vern (Jerry O' Connell) a little chubby kid who is afraid of everything, unlike Teddy. If you must know the plot it's about 4 12 year olds who set out to find a dead body and bring it back and become heroes. The emotional scenes make you realize that they have horrible lives in a small town, and by the end, you feel glad that they get out of their town. And if I could add a new scene it would be the boys encounter a vicious animal like a wolverine or a coyote and the grab the gun and blow it away. Oh well the rest of the movie was very entertaining! The set up to when the boys find the missing corpse keeps you anticipating it. Complete with a terrific music score which you may recognize from George Lucas's classic "American Graffiti." So overall, it's a great movie, so definitely see it, if you have it. If you don't then rent it, buy it, it's worth it! RIP River Phinoex :)

Good Coming of Age Movie for Boys
2009-07-12 - I bought this movie for my hubby for Father's Day this year because he loved it as a kid. He has now seen it with our 2 boys who are 3 and 5 a couple times. The boys like it because your in search of a dead bod, but as they get older they will get the whole growing up part of it as well.