‘Stand by Me’ Review: Coming of Age Classic Still Impactful After 39 Years

“Stand by Me” turns 39 years old this summer. I first covered the Gen-X classic in 2012; one of my first reviews, and it was overdue for a written reboot.

Like many folks my age, or my age adjacent, I grew up loving this film. As a kid, it was a unique experience to watch other kids going on a seemingly epic adventure. Rewatching as an adult, I gained a completely different appreciation for the narrative, acting, and production of the movie.

Set in 1959, we follow four small-town friends as they walk the train tracks in search of a dead body.

My friends and I often played on the train tracks that ran parallel to my New Hartford neighborhood that I grew up in. We even had a trestle. I often emulated the lines and actions from the film when I was there. There’s a ton of symbolism in the movie that each viewer can experience for themselves. You’ll find various meanings in relation to the age and stage of life you are at when watching.

Stellar Cast

“Stand by Me” boasts an all-star cast, many or all of which were making their debut. Wil Wheaton, Jerry O’Connell, Corey Feldman, and River Phoenix star, with the latter having his big screen breakout with the performance. Despite the young ages (12-16 at the time), there are no weak links. Each of the four is given a specific character to play with a personality that reflects the actor. Wheaton and Phoenix are handed heavy arcs with some of the more gut-wrenching emotional portrayals one will find on film.

Kiefer Sutherland plays the memorable Ace Merrill, a local greaser who bullies the kids. Richard Dreyfuss and John Cusack make cameos.

Something is off

One thought that has remained consistent with me through the decades is the unnerving feeling that wafts through the screen as you watch. “Stand by Me” is based on a Stephen King novella, The Body. While not standard King horror (you will find nothing supernatural here) the story itself is terrifying because it’s so real.

The kids all come from bad home lives. Physical abuse, mental abuse, neglect, PTSD, alcohol; all play a part in their stories. In typical King fashion, it’s a sad existence with seemingly no escape. There are brutal bullies lurking on every corner and no helpful adults to be found. The friends have each other and that’s it. It’s a blueprint found in many of his other works. Watching will give you an unidentifiable creepy feeling that will last long after the movie ends.

Director Rob Reiner is masterful at adapting King’s written work to film. Reiner successfully transforms Brownsville, Oregon into the fictitious town of Castle Rock where the story takes place. The style of the characters, the cars, even the color palette used make us feel like we are watching actual events in the summer of 1959. Understanding the dark tones of the source material, the cinematography is beautiful but still drenched with an ominous and eerie presence.  

The Soundtrack

The “Stand by Me” soundtrack was one of the first CD’s I owned. The radio is everywhere, as one would expect it to be in 1959. Awesome “oldies” play throughout on the adventure, each doing its purpose of setting the mood or foreshadowing conflict. There’s a beautiful and melancholy score done by Jack Nitzsche that will give you goosebumps. It coos in the background, its presence never dominant yet always impactful.

Symbolism

The story takes place on Labor Day Weekend. The kids are aware they are about to start junior high in a few days, and that their lives are going to change forever. It’s the end of summer, it’s the end of their youth, and it’s the end of the 1950s. The journey itself mimics life, as they follow one-way tracks to the end, the destination being death. I could write an entire thesis on it.

“Stand by Me” is one of the best coming of age dramas of all time. It holds a special place for those of us who grew up with it but can and should be enjoyed by film lovers of all ages.