Film Review: Stand By Me
This must be the third or fourth time that I saw this film. And I think I will see it again in the future. This is how good this film is, in my opinion. The movie is an adaptation of the novella "The Body," part of the Stephen King's bestseller, Different Seasons, from which another prominent novella (Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) is part of. All the four novellas in that collection have been adapted to film.
The Body (the novella) or Stand By Me (the film) both tell the 'adventures' of four friends, all boys, as they search the body of a missing boy. The believe they'll be heroes if they find the boy. In this journey, just like in any coming of age tales, they will discover things about themselves and about other things. This looks simplistic. Maybe it is. But, the way Stephen King wrote it makes the book unforgettable. And this proves that it's not only about horror stories that Stephen King is good at. He can write this good. And its translation into film is simply great.
In the film, all four young actors, including the incredible River Phoenix, were likable. One could really feel what each of the boys was feeling, be it naughtiness, excitement, or fear. The supporting cast, which included Richard Dreyfuss, John Cusack and Kiefer Sutherland, were all memorable.
The film is truly unforgettable. It is one of my all-time favorite films.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
Note: I saw this (for the nth time) on the plane on October 28, 2012 on my way to New York from Manila.
Note: I saw this (for the nth time) on the plane on October 28, 2012 on my way to New York from Manila.
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