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Movies / On DVD / Stand by Me
Stand by Me

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Stand by Me (1986)

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94 %
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Reviews Counted:33

Fresh:31

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.8/10

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Based on Stephen King's novella THE BODY, director Rob Reiner's STAND BY ME is the disarmingly tender and subtly sublime story of four kids on the precipice of early adulthood who embark upon a... Based on Stephen King's novella THE BODY, director Rob Reiner's STAND BY ME is the disarmingly tender and subtly sublime story of four kids on the precipice of early adulthood who embark upon a quest. There's Gordie (Wil Wheaton), the intelligent, creative one with the obviously bright future. His best buddy, Chris (River Phoenix), hardens his image in order to hide the pain from the physical abuse he endures at home, all the while harboring the hope of escaping that image. Rounding out the foursome are Vern (Jerry O'Connell), the pudgy tagalong, and Teddy (Corey Feldman), a loyal and funny but troubled kid with a death wish. When the four boys hear about a dead body 20 miles down the railroad tracks from their small Oregon town, they clandestinely set upon the unwieldy journey to lay eyes on this rare find. Amid numerous misadventures, Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy savor what may be their last chance to revel in the simple life of children; around the corner is a future that could tear them apart, not to mention a tough teen gang who desires local fame by finding the body first. Enhanced by excellent performances and an engaging plot, STAND BY ME ranks among the best of the myriad coming-of-age films to dot the 1980s cinematic landscape. [More]

Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell

Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Richard Dreyfuss, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, Gary Riley, Bradley Gregg, Jason Oliver, John Cusack, Marshall Bell

Director: Rob Reiner

Director: Rob Reiner
Screenwriter: Raynold Gideon, Bruce A. Evans
Producer: Andrew Scheinman, Raynold Gideon, Bruce A. Evans
Composer: Jack Nitzsche

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Stand by Me

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
N/R

Derek Adams

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 09 2006 03:17 AM

Time Out

tomato
4/5

Mark Dinning

An absorbing, touching examination of the loss of innocence that, despite occasionally drifting towards the sappy, undeniably deserves its place in the heart of a generation.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Empire Magazine

tomato
B

Dennis Schwartz

A well-observed and executed little film.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 05 2009 04:51 AM

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

tomato

Variety Staff

Scripters have written inspired dialog for this quartet of plucky boys at that hard-to-capture age when they're still young enough to get scared and yet old enough to want to sneak smokes and cuss.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Variety

tomato
4/5

David Kaplan

No review available.

comment Comment | Mar., 01 2008 07:53 AM

Kaplan vs. Kaplan

N/R

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 30 2007 05:52 AM

Combustible Celluloid

tomato
A-

Emanuel Levy

Though nostalgic, Reiner's film, based on Stephen King's autobiographical novella, is suffused with the magic of childhood; the narrative is framed by a long flashback that brings distance to the remembered reality.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 08 2007 10:16 PM

EmanuelLevy.Com

tomato
4/5

Carol Cling

Haunting coming-of-age drama; young River Phoenix's presence adds considerable poignancy

comment Comment | Jun., 16 2006 02:59 PM

Las Vegas Review-Journal

tomato
3/5

Cole Smithey

No review available.

comment Comment | Oct., 27 2005 08:25 PM

ColeSmithey.com

tomato
4/5

Rebecca Murray

No review available.

comment Comment | Aug., 05 2005 12:17 PM

About.com

tomato
4/5

Kit Bowen

No review available.

comment Comment | Apr., 29 2005 10:59 AM

Hollywood.com

tomato
4/4

Phil Villarreal

It transports you back, not to the 1950s, but to a time when, like Vern, you knew the important things in life.

Full Review Source: | comment 2 Comments | Mar., 31 2005 09:05 PM

Arizona Daily Star

tomato
4/5

Daniel M. Kimmel

No review available.

comment Comment | Jan., 19 2005 04:53 AM

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

tomato
5/5

Steve Crum

Still powerful Reiner film with great kid actors.

comment Comment | Dec., 27 2004 09:00 PM

Kansas City Kansan

N/R

Walter Goodman

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 30 2004 10:16 PM

New York Times

tomato
4/5

Nicolas Lacroix

No review available.

comment Comment | May., 25 2004 12:53 PM

EnPrimeur.ca

splat
1/5

Nick Davis

A lot of folks go in for this movie in a big way, but I have a hard time seeing past the cloying comedy and clichéd white-guy sentimentality.

comment 4 Comments | Apr., 20 2004 12:47 AM

Nick's Flick Picks

tomato
4/5

Mark Palermo

No review available.

comment Comment | Apr., 08 2004 10:35 PM

Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

tomato
4/5

Widgett Walls

A solid coming of age story that actually improves upon its source material.

comment Comment | Mar., 26 2004 04:32 PM

Needcoffee.com

splat
2/5

Jake Euker

Soggy with false sentiment.

comment 2 Comments | Mar., 11 2004 01:04 PM

F5 (Wichita, KS)

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 >> >|
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Latest News for Stand by Me

October 09, 2008: Meet Corey Feldman Courtesy of RT
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