On Vern’s discovery of an undiscovered dead body, the group is compelled to go and search for the dead body. Chris, amiable and understanding, is the natural leader of the four. Despite having a bad reputation due to his violent brother and being abused by his drunken father, Chris is in many ways the most dependable (later in the movie even saving his friend Teddy’s life). Gordie is much more thoughtful, a result of his natural imagination and being neglected by his parents. But like Chris is very faithful (later saving Chris’s life and defending him). On the other hand, Teddy is a ‘bit crazy’ due to his father is being a psychotic (a mental disorder in which you loose contact with reality) and Vern though kind hearted, has the disgrace of being pudgy, a coward and slow.
The boys, innocent and inexperienced, dream about being famous.
The journey turns out to be more than a mere challenge and nothing like the boys ever imagined. It is really difficult and scarier than they expected. The movie shows a gang of big boys, who usually bully the boys, and moreover plan to find the body themselves. And soon it becomes a race to see who’ll be ably to discover the body first. But it teaches the boys more about reality than they could ever learn in their life.
This film enlightens themes like growing up, believing in your self, grief, bullying, friendship, rebellion, death, fear etc.
Stand by me is guaranteed to revive childhood memories and be classified under your all time favourite movies. Though it is set in the 1950s, it is a timeless film summarising the problems in a teenager’s life. A very touching, fascinating, humorous yet intensely sad, movie that people must watch.
It is very profound and unforgettable. Especially the quote that the adult Gordie says towards the end of the movie, ‘Do we really ever have friends as good as the ones when we were twelve? I doubt it.’ I recommend this movie for all ages give it 9.5 out of ten.
