STAND BY ME (1986) | MOVIE REACTION | FIRST TIME WATCHING 

Another Stephen King adaption! This one gave me Goonies vibes. Some heavy moments but such a great film! What do you enjoy about this movie?

“I never had any friends later on Like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?”

River Phoenix's performance in this film is the greatest I've ever seen a child act. Hands down.

I consider this the perfect example of filmmaking. 4 kids walking through the woods... you don't need some big budget to make a masterpiece... you just need 4 kids and some trees.

"He died almost instantly" I cry every time. A beautiful piece of film-making.

Chris is played by the late River Phoenix (RIP), brother of Joaquin Phoenix.

What makes Chris's death even more tragic is we only knew the character as a kid.

Everything that happens to the kids as they turn into adults in the movie happened basically in real life to the actors Gordie grew up to be a writer Wheaton is a well known blogger Vern had a normal life wife and kids like O’Connell Teddy couldn’t get past his childhood trauma to find success as an adult like Feldman Chris dies at a public place like Phoenix and is still the only one who has died

"I feel like the movie is almost over and they still haven't found the body." It's not about the body, it's about the adventure.

When they called Ben E. King to tell him that they were using his song as the track for this film and that it would likely get on the charts again, he was moved to tears.

River Phoenix was the James Dean of the 90's. Everybody knew he would go on to win multiple oscars and be a huge star for decades but unfortunately like James Dean his time was cut short. Loved how Joaquin gave him a special tribute in his speech when he won his

It’s amazing that the story opens with revealing that Chris Chambers died, but takes us into the flashback so quickly without telling us who Chris Chambers is that word of his death at the end is a surprise.

The heartbreaking scene where Chris talks about the teacher stealing the milk money after he tried to return it, Rob Reiner coached him, asking him to think about when an adult had let him down. He was able to do the scene, and cry for real. After the scene, he was still crying, and Rob Reiner went and hugged him and comforted him. He never asked what River was thinking about, but what a powerful moment. Gone too soon.

Wil Wheaton has gone on to say he channeled his own family issues into his performance, mirroring poor Gordy in how his parents were doing him emotional harm. He and River likely didn’t have to act too hard to bring those feelings to the surface.

river phoenix was one of the best actors of his generation. i think his death made his brother joaquin want to prove he could take his place, if that makes sense. edit: oh, and one more vote for the princess bride to be added to your list. 100% classic and perfect.

You know a film is good when you love it as a kid, then appreciate it even more when you see it as an adult.

You made a great observation that adults often forget how much is going on in the heads of kids and how many emotions they're feeling. I know when I saw this movie at age 10 there was nothing surprising or shocking about how the kids were acting at all. They seemed like completely normal kids, some of the more realistic kids I'd ever seen in a movie. They had real-life family problems, not just the problems that the movie has created for them to solve. The only unusual thing was trying to imagine the grown-up Gordy looking back at his childhood. Now, the movie serves as a reminder of just how dark, dangerous, confused and complicated childhood can be. Adults make a big mistake if they romanticize their childhood and forget how difficult and uncomfortable life could be at that age.

That last summer before puberty throws everything into chaos!

I tend to think of this film as a perfect movie. It truly is flawless in every aspect. It sticks with you forever. And it's so sad to think about all the great films and performances River Phoenix would have given us if he didn't die so early. Makes his death in this film even more poignant when you watch it again.

Stephen King short story . Although in the book , it's called " The Body ".

That part about Teddy and Vern just becoming two more faces in the halls and how friends come in and out of your life like busboys in a restaurant gets me every time. I have a lot of nostalgia for my younger years when I was in grade school and think about the friends I had then too.......who I haven't had contact with in years.

Stand by Me just gets better each time you watch it. The beginning, especially, resonates even more, once you know Chris like Gordie does and you feel the way Gordie does about his death, as he sits there in the car watching the two boys pass on their bicycles. Another film that has an opening that also resonates much in the same way is Somewhere in Time w/ Christopher Reeve. On first watch, the appearance of the old lady is just mysterious and odd. On second viewing, it is heart wrenching (in the best possible way).

The script writers (and King) do such a wonderful job of capturing a middle school boy's mentality, and some of the social dynamics of close friends. It's been so long since I've watched this movie. Thanks for sharing the reaction with us.

This movie is the definition of “Me and the boys”. Classic.

This is my favorite movie of all time and where my obsession with River Phoenix began. Love the book too. The end scene where he fades away gets me every time.

27:40 When he died he was known as 'Attorney Christopher Chambers' not as 'one of those low-life Chamber kids'. Even though he died that was still something

I've always had a fondness for "Say anything" with John Cusack. Maybe because I had a little crush on Ione Skye. It's one of my favourite romantic dramas.

We were so fortunate to grow up in the 70’s and 80’s and we had the best movies and best music to this day, hands down!

The word I feel best describes this movie is. Relatable

Breakfast Club and Stand By Me are flat out classics. Good for you for checking them out.

Wil Wheaton (from Star Trek: The Next Generation), Corey Feldmen (from Goonies and The Lost Boys), River Phoenix (from Explorers and Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade), and Jerry O'Connell (from Sliders). Love this movie

First RIP River Phoenix such a talented kid gone to soon. When your watching these older movies, back in the day a lot of us didn't have parents that hovered over us. We used to stay outside till midnight, ride in the back of pick up trucks, we could even take a note to the gas station and get cigarettes and booze for our parents lol. It was acually such a great time to be a kid. Great reaction I totally subscribed! ❤❤

Your channel is so delightful and just so calm and peaceful. Plus you seem like a really nice person and someone you would want to watch a movie with!

Another great adaptation of a Stephen King novel is "Misery" from 1990, which was also directed by Rob Reiner; he really hit it out of the park with this movie and "Misery". It features some outstanding acting by Kathy Bates (who earned the Oscar for Best Actress with her performance) and James Caan.

I think you've earned something lighter! My vote is for The Princess Bride.

This movie really impacted me as a child. I saw it on video in the summer of 1987, six months after I myself saw three dead bodies on the lawn of a Waukegan, IL car accident (on the night after Christmas, no less). I also lived a block away from railroad tracks and was just a few younger than the kids in this film. Looking back I almost think that the reason my parents allowed to me watch it (in fact showed it to me, as I recall) was to help me come to terms with what I had seen while also helping to establish the danger of playing on the railroad tracks (which my friend and I did constantly, as he lived directly across from them, though we were responsible about it). I remember that the first time I saw the movie, when it shows the corpse of Ray Brower, I was stunned to see that his eyes were open just lifelessly looking up into nothing (a very convincing performance, as it could have passed for a dummy but was actually an extra who was in the background of the pie eating scene). I was alone in the house on a very windy summer afternoon and I don't know if it's because the conditions were the same as the film, or because I was spooked by the open eyes, or because I was remembering seeing the dead bodies that I myself had seen, but as I watched the film and the wind made the trees in our yard creak I grew increasingly terrified that I'd turn to look behind me and there would be a dead body standing behind the couch waiting to get me. I'll never forget it.

Read somewhere that Stephen King had to walk out after they showed him this movie because he was crying. Some of the moments happening in the book/movie, like the scene with the leeches, happened to him and his friends in his childhood. The movie just captured his memories perfectly.

Chris's death is in the paper right at the start, but the film is so good you totally forget until the end.

you will never go wrong with anything that Stephen King writes

This movie reminds me of a friend I had in primary school, who helped me when no one did. He was my only friend for years, his whole family died in a car crash. He later sold drugs at college, went to prison and died young. Yep that happen. Great movie.

21:20 The script did not call for River to cry. However, Rob wanted for River Phoenix to have more emotion. He asked him to think of a time when he was betrayed. He didn't have to say what it was, just think about it. He did, and River cried out of anger of his memory. Rob kissed and hugged him to make River feel better, and even then River would need distance from time to time. Rob still doesn't know what memory River brought up, but he can see that it brought back some scars.

My friends and I watched this all the time. I am 29 now but the crazy thing is that all of the “adult” stuff they talked about whether it was an abusive home or other struggles we would talk about them and we were 11-12 we all talked about until we would get distracted by kid things so that for just a little bit we were alright

The ending always hit hard because it was almost foreshadowing River Phoenix passing away who played Chris Chambers.

Verne is Jerry O'Connell, Chris is River Phoenix, Gordy is Will Wheaton from Big Bang Theory. When Rob Riener found those kids they were just like the characters they portrayed

During the trestle scene when they nearly get run over by the train, that location was also used in Aerosmith's Livin On The Edge video. Joe Perry is standing on the tracks, playing guitar, completely oblivious to the fact that the train is coming and nonchalantly steps out of the way of the train at the very last second. Teddy would have been proud!

Friends come in and out of your life like bus boys at a restaurant. Hits me right in the feels everytime.

FUN FACT: While filming the bridge scene, the actors couldn't cry on camera and had to redo the scene so many times to the point where the film crew were exhausted and director Rob Reiner got so frustrated that he started raising his voice at them, during which they started to cry and Reiner immediately got everyone into their positions and got the shot that made it into the movie. After which, the actors happily hugged Reiner for getting it right.

I discovered this movie at age 11. I've been a Stephen King fan ever since. This also made me a fan of each of the young actors and Kiefer Sutherland and John Cusack.

Sean Astin told a story once about how he auditioned for the role of Chris, and while he was waiting for his turn to read for the part, River Phoenix was the one in there ahead of him. River came out looking emotionally drained, tears still on his face from the performance he gave, and Astin said he knew immediately that he wouldn't be getting that part. I believe he brought this up in a Goonies anniversary DVD commentary with Feldman, if I'm not mistaken.

I first saw this film when I was 12 and loved it. Rewatched it again this summer when I was 40, and still loved it.

Wow, Young Kiefer Sutherland, you should watch The Lost Boys if you haven't already seen it.

Sadly the character *Chris* who dies is played by *River Phoenix* a great actor who became Hollywood heartthrob but died of an overdose outside a Hollywood nightclub in *93*

River Phoenix was actually 15 when filming wrapped on Stand By Me.

Not many comments about Wil Wheaton but guy has grown to be a normal and respectable member of society with a wonderful family, which is rare for child actors. I love the guy for his ideals and watching him in old movies is so damn nostalgic.

One of my all time favorites when I was a kid. The end where he talks about Chris dying always gets me now ever since one of my best friends passed away a few years back

I watched this movie countless times growing up. I watched it so often that my dad would often called me Lardass. He died when I was 16 (2000) so it goes without saying that this movie reminds me a lot of him. It’s nice knowing that people still love this movie.

You’re so damn delightful to watch! A change of pace and a pallet cleanser of sorts (and a laugh instead of a cry) if you haven’t seen The Naked Gun or Airplane! You may like them

God I wish River didn’t pass away. Not only was he already a truly great actor but he fought for animals in real life and was just the best person. Really sad and fucking sucks!

Yeah Corey Feldman, River Phoenix (R.I.P), Kiefer Sutherland, Will Wheaton from Big Bang Theory, John Cusack and Richard Dreyfuss all together! What a GREAT movie! I love the parts they are just walking on the tracks and talking. Reminds me to my own childhood!

This is one of my all time favourite movies. You can relate to it as a kid and as an adult. I get so much nostalgia when I watch this and I just think of my childhood friends and the stupid stuff we would do and conversations we would have

Just gotta do The Green Mile and you'll have the 3 best Stephen King adaptations down.

My Ma raised me on cute love stories! Here's a couple for your reacting pleasure: "It Could Happen To You" and "While You Were Sleeping".

The bridge scene with the train is absolutely epic.

this film breaks my heart every-time, it's so realistic, especially the ending. i love rewatching it through people's reactions. the line 'i never had any friends later on, like the ones i had when i was twelve. jesus, does anyone?' - always gets me. i had two childhood friends and we hung out a lot at the local park and wandered through each other's part of the neighbourhood often. i still remember the last time that we saw each other, a moment strongly engrained in my memory. our local park was behind and sort of around the village hall, meetings happened there and brownie groups used the building for their activities. the park connected to the woods and we wandered in there to explore sometimes, climbing trees or creating mud potions. there was also a running track and a basketball court behind the building, they didn't get used much, but we used them a least a few times, usually cycling around the track. there was an old person's home through a small path at the back of the park and we walked there once, just to see. our school took us there to sing once, i think. anyway, back to the moment that i was talking about. we were all sitting on top of this dark green bus shelter, i always called it 'the shed' when pointing it out to anyone. it wasn't too difficult to clamber onto the roof, a part of the bus shelters' design stuck out so you could stand on it and push yourself up. you had to be careful getting down though, we helped each other sometimes so we wouldn't sprain our ankles or something. we sat up there for a while, our bikes laying messily on the grass. we talked and talked as the sun slowly went to sleep. we parted ways eventually when it started getting a bit too dark for children to be out alone, i cycled home. i miss them and i don't know what they're doing now, but i hope they're okay. we weren't super close, but i looked out for them and they stayed with me when other people were unkind. we were friends and we just drifted.

I love both this film and the short story this is based on (Stephen King’s “The Body” which he based the characters, setting, and situations on his and his childhood friends own coming of age); I read the story way before I ever saw this film. I love this movie, but it’s incredibly hard for me to watch. Because I cry every time at the end of it; every single time. For a lot of reasons. For one, it’s that very last sentence he writes on the computer. Because that sentence is incredibly honest, and incredibly heart piercing. It’s a true reflection of our youthful innocence. And once it’s gone, and we get more and more jaded, the friendships we make later in life are different. It’s time that does it, and it’s why our childhood friends are usually the best friends we ever have. Another reason it draws tears is when River Phoenix’s character in the movie is said to have died trying to break up two men fighting, and his image fades from the screen, I can’t help but remember his real life death, at just age 27; and how terrible it was, and still is every time I see him in a film; utterly tragic. But the biggest reason is that I had a very close childhood friend who was murdered when he was 15 and I was 14. He was the greatest person too, kind to everyone. Which is what I liked most about him. He was a genuinely good person. We bonded initially over a love of horror. He loved Stephen King, Clive Barker and horror books, as much as I did and do. And this story was one of his favorites. We would always go to the library and scour the horror section, looking for what we called “a prime cut”; which was an inside joke we thought was hysterically funny. We were such goof balls, with our macabre yet still weirdly goofy humor. But that’s why we were such good friends. We understood each other. Sometimes when no one else did. When he came out to me the year prior to his death, I would be the first and only person he ever got to tell. He swore me to secrecy, and I kept that secret, and still to this day I honor it, and have never told anyone in his ultra religious family. The summer he turned 15, a stranger broke in his house thinking it was empty, only to find him sleeping when he broke in his unlocked bedroom window. Like River’s character in the film, he was stabbed; but he was stabbed a lot, woken up with it in his own bed. He fought really hard, but in the end the guy overpowered him. My chest still hurts when I think about him. An only child, he truly was a brother to me. Even called me sis. I loved him with all my heart. I’ve lost a lot of friends and family over the years. But it was his death, at our young age, that was the hardest gut punch. It took 15 years to get his killer caught, convicted and sentenced. Though he did eventually get 25 to life. So in the end there was justice. But of course, it could never bring my friend back. When I grew up and had my son, I named him after him. So why I love this film, and story, I’ve never read the story again since his death. The film I watch rarely, just because it hurts; but I’m glad you’ve now seen it. It’s a very special, rather incredible little picture. As my friend used to say. I never again in adulthood, had a friend like him when I was young.

You've got to watch more movies with River Phoenix. He was an amazing actor.

I love these old nostalgic character movies like The Goonies and Stand By Me. I watched these as a kid. Such great movies.

It's funny hearing you say, "That's weird to see Keifer Sutherland like that", when, for us 80s kids, that's just how we knew him. Stand By Me and The Lost Boys were his defining roles as resident bad boy. And even though the movie tells you within the first 30 seconds that Chris Chambers is going to be murdered when he becomes an adult, the news at the end still hits you right in the gut every time.

If River Phoenix would still live he would be as huge actor as Leonardo Dicaprio if not bigger.. I miss him.

Thank you for sharing my favourite film. I saw this movie when I was 11, and it has meant everything to me. I have related so completely with Gordie LaChance my entire life and the death of his childhood friend still breaks my heart. Finally, as a 11 yr old boy the Barf-O-Rama was the greatest thing committed to celluloid.

The actor who plays young Gordie is Will Wheaton who was also a reacurring character on Star Trek: The Next Generation and played himself on The Big Bang Theory. Also Vern is Jerry O'Connell who also had a small role as Sheldon's older brother on The Big Bang Theory.

Yep. If a mother has boys. Gotta watch Stand By Me. It doesn't capture us exactly, but it definately captures our essence.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND 2004

Also can I just add how handsome John Cusack and Kiefer Sutherland are in this movie?! 😍 I even kinda fancy Eyeball ngl 😂

“The song! It is!” So cute! ☺️ This is a fantastic motion picture. I highly recommend reading the short story. It is a great story of friendship.

The story of Lardass and his revenge is so excellent haha

*Cool Hand Luke* is another recommendation

I watched this back when it was released, I was about the same age as them and it really impacted on my life and has stuck with me emotionally forever. My kids love it too.

This will always have a place in my heart because this was aired in a local TV channel’s Sunday-night movie features back in August 1991 when I was 11. My dad even recorded it on VHS. It was so fun to see those adventures. I think I was able to watch this in the theaters back in 86.

It's based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" which is in his book "Different Seasons". 'Seasons' is a collection of four of King's novellas. "Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption" is another of the novellas in that book.

this movie is gold....it shows many real interactions between friends and how they cope with issues at hand. the side story of Gordie's parents alienating him after the loss of his older brother is heart wretching, and how his friend Chris is such a postive pillar of strength for him always got me. Makes it even harder to deal with as we then learn how Chris, being the ever helpful ambassador of peace ends up losing his life in such an uneccesary way...it really hurts. And on a more happy note.....I actually laughed out loud during the tense train/crossing the bridge scene where after Gordie grabs Vern and they both fall off to the side just narrowly escaping the passing train you blurt out so matter-of-factly .. " Boys!" ...lol....that got me !! :p Love your channel....glad you enjoyed the movie....it certainly appeared as though it tapped into all of the emotions it set out to evoke...it is a masterpiece. You did catch that the dad there at the end typing out the story was in fact a grown up Gordie, right ?

Oh this made me so happy to see! This movie is one of my all-time favorites. And props for recognizing the instrumental version of the song Stand By Me in the score! It's such a beautifully understated arrangement.

I'd be willing to bet you know exactly who those 4 "kids" are. River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton, and Jerry O'Connell. This cast was amazing, as was River's performance. Another amazing talent lost too young.

The music, nostalgia and your genuine reactions!!!

I think you would like “The War” with Kevin Costner. I feel like it’s a lesser-known film, but really powerful.

28:25 - "What did I just watch" tends to be how I feel with Stephen King adaptations. His stories don't seem to follow typical story formulas, yet they turn out to wonderful journeys. Another movie with similar vibes (Goonies, Sandlot, Wonder Years) was a very underrated movie called LUCAS (1986) with Corey Haim, Charlie Sheen, Wynona Ryder. It's got a love story in it! :)

This movie was filmed in the town where one of my relative’s lives. You can see their house near the end of the movie. They still live there. Yup, the town looks exactly the same today as it did in the 1950s.

Best comming of age movie ever. Aged really well. Nowadays you can still look at it without any problems without it getting boring.

Great choice, mlady. The Green Mile is the next great Stephen King movie similar to Shawshank and Stand by me. If you want some original romance movies, I recommend Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Her (2013) or Lost In Translation (2003)

Definitely one of my favourite movies of all time, though I really can't watch it all that often. Great acting from all involved and, of course, Rob Reiner did an amazing job as director.

I love this movie!!! Everytime I cry when I think of River Phoenix. He was just...great.

In the book, Gordy was the last of the quartet left alive. The other two died in a house fire and a car accident. The whole point to the story was that he was the last, and he was chronicling the story of his childhood friends before it was too late.

coming of age stories, specifically with young boys, always makes me cry. i'm a young female so idfk why seeing boys cry makes me cry, maybe it's because we don't normally see that in real life. even treasure planet, an animated disney movie, made me cry😂 i recommend that one. it prob won't make you cry but it's still a good one. the way way back is another good coming of age story

8:56 $2.37, how did I not realize that until now?? The number 237 is a reference to another Stephen King film, The Shining. Shawshank Redemption has that reference too, Andy's cell number is 237

I was 12 in 1956. I was spending my summer on my Grandfather’s farm just one half mile from the lake where my two friends lived. One day we decided to sneak out of the house that night after everyone had gone to sleep. Of course I couldn’t stay awake pretending to fall asleep, so Dave and Lonnie had to ride their bikes to the farm to get me. They took the screen off my window and proceeded to toss pebbles through the open window to wake me. I’m not sure which one woke me up but I did hear one bouncing around on the hardwood floor. I snuck out the window and lifted my bike over the fence to avoid my Grandfather’s open window. After riding our bikes on the roads at the lake, skinny dipping for a while, and just hanging out, I was back home and in bed by 4:30. At dinner after church the next day Gramps related this story, “Last night I woke up and smelled smoke, I peeked in your room, you were sleeping, so I went to the living room and looked out the window and saw some people walking down the road. They were smoking. So I went back to bed.” I believed every word, and thought how lucky that he didn’t see me. It took me a few years to comprehend that he watched me lift my bike over the fence, and allowed my middle of the night escapade to proceed.

It's a movie about loss and redemption. It's a movie about the gap between parents and kids. It's a movie about growing up and doing so on your own but with friends. In short it's a movie about boys and the horribly wonderful world we share on our road to becoming men. “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?”

"Is that a young John Cusack?" No, it's a less old John Cusack.

This is an absolute classic... If you want another coming-of-age movie, I'm not sure if you've ever seen now and then. It's also a really good movie

I so love the interactions with Gordie and Vern. Mainly because I know Wil Wheaton and Jerry O'Connell are still great friends to this very day. (As well as fellow members of the Star Trek family along with Jerry's wife.)

Fun fact.. "Stand by Me", based on the short story "The Body", was in the same book as another short story you're familiar with, that being "Rita Hayworth and the Shaw Shank Redemption". The Book was called "Different Seasons" and each story had elements that tied them to one of the 4 seasons. Breathing Method & The Apt Pupil are the other two stories included.