Stand by Me (1986)

Stars	User	Rating
8	Alex Watkins	5 _91%
Some movies transcend the qualities of objective judgment, and for me, this is one of them. Some may find it sappy or maudlin, but this speaks directly to me in a way words can't describe; the closing lines of the movie ("I never again had friends like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?") are heartbreaking and amazingly poignant to me.
5	Luna6ix	90 _97%
The mother of all coming of age movies, the asthetics combined with the 50's music and original story make this a movie that belongs in everyone's childhood. Of course with Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, River Pheonix, John Cusack, and Wil Wheaton it's a clusterfuck of awesome 80's acting.
4	Shosanna	50 _93%
I didn't expect a movie about four boys growing up in a small town in the 50s to get such a powerful nostalgic reaction out of me, a girl who spent her childhood in 90s suburbs, but something about this film transcends the specifics of the setting and manages to tap into that universal bittersweet experience of childhood's end. It's very simple, in a good way. And how often do you get to see a film with such a fantastic and not-annoying cast of child actors? (5/5)
3	astrakhan	96 _99%
Almost perfect in every way. Universal in that it represents how every one of us remembers parts of our childhood (or how we wish it had been). The story is simple and predictable but it should strike a chord with anyone who has a nostalgic cell in their body.
3	Paxton	89 _96%
By the time we get there he won't even be dead anymore!
3	wayofthegun	100 _97%
An era-defining masterpiece that just has that certain something. The storyline itself is nothing special, but the artistry is in the relationship the actors have with each other and the emotion they are able to put into the dialogue and scenes. I didn't grow up during this time period, but the struggles these characters face are relatable to anyone, which I think is what makes this such a nostalgic movie for most people.
3	Farzan	86 _84%
A great film about the struggles of youth and friendship. Stand by Me has a large array of memorable scenes, it is laugh out loud hilarious, and has a very powerful aura surrounding it. Sometimes it seems a bit over the top but all in all it is a good film with great meaning. Awesome!
2	BillyShears	80 _77%
MMM childhood summers that lasted years.
2	mwgerb	81 _95%
The story of childhood adventure had been made many times before and after this, but may never have been made as well. There's no sense of reality being sheltered, even as it's filtered through a kid's view. And the childish insults and posturing only serve to hide a more vulnerable personality underneath, which couldn't be pulled off without the remarkably capable young actors. Ultimately, it reminds you of everything terrible and great about childhood even if you didn't live in the 1960s.
2	Moonriver	95 _97%
One of the strongest movies I've seen about friendship and its nature.Also great performances,esp. Phoenix.
2	joseywales	85 _93%
Childhood: The Movie
2	Nathan S	3 _45%
There are plenty of possible complaints here: archetypal characters, sentimentality, cheesy dialogue. But the film transcends these with sheer charm. Plus I'm a bit of a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and I think there are some really poignant thematics here involving nostalgia and mortality.
2	XakkMaster	92 _93%
For Generation Y American males, this was one of the movies we watched again and again as kids. The fact that it's rated R for language, intense moments and some drinking/smoking doesn't matter because it's genuine. This is how kids act, how they talk. They can be crass, but occasionally philosophical and deep. No film since has an ensemble cast of youngsters giving such stirring, heartfelt performances. It's a slice of true Americana and the ultimate coming-of-age story for adolescent boys.
2	JordanDcFc	89 _91%
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
2	mattorama12	91 _98%
In my humble opinion, the definitive coming of age movie.
2	Zarkon	100 _99%
The standard by which I judge all other coming-of-age films.
2	Pickpocket	2 _21%
One of the most overrated movies ever. It has a lot to like about it but it just fails in the execution by bad acting and terrible dialog. Cluttered with bullshit sentimentality and and a disgusting view of these Hollywoodesque 12-year-olds that should make everyone cringe. I don't get what everyone else sees in this film. =(
2	hotsake	95 _99%
I think any boy that was around the same ages as the stars loved this movie, hell I go so far as to say the same would hold true even today.
2	Loki	90 _89%
The best "Coming of Age" movie ever made.
2	AshWilliams	85 _76%
Very true and honest portrait of adolescent boys.
2	Piglet	80 _91%
Stephen King's dramas are far superios his thrillers in my book, this is no exception. River Phoenix shows his wonderful talent.
1	BCareyUSAF	95 _82%
Great movie that you will never forget.
1	fenixdown	60 _17%
Acceptable melodrama.
1	dmguidry	88 _88%
Excellent tale of growing up and friendship. One of the best Stephen King adaptations around. River Phoenix steals the show in one of his biggest roles before his tragic death.
1	txb0359	97 _86%
Second favorite movie
1	crabbyman	90 _95%
Great "coming of age" movie for the men and boys out there. Great story, great acting, and great cast interaction
1	jmarkthespot	80 _82%
You're a heartless bastard if you don't like this film... And it reinforces that I am living in the wrong decade
1	anna_17	100 _92%
One of my all-time favorites. A heartwarming story with great characters and actors. River Phoenix really shines in this.
1	DavidBlast	85 _88%
One of the great Stephen King adaptations. A sensitive stories about childhood friendships. Beautiful and heartbreaking. And for you girls, there's that guy that died in front of the Boiler Room. And for you nerds there's Wil Wheaton. You know. The Star Trek dude!
1	Gracey	100 _92%
Classic "buddy" film.
1	lukey86	100 _93%
This is truly a perfect film. Has there ever been a better film about 12 year old boys? No. This is such a honest film featuring some great performances, especially from the great River Phoenix. The best Stephen King film. A must see.
1	methad1	92 _97%
A true classic! Excellent child actors including River Phonix and the one from Goonies and Lost Boys. You must see this film - no excuses.
1	buffratings	93 _91%
Stand by Me is arguably the greatest coming-of-age film to emerge from a decade that produced a countless number of them.
1	bratings	92 _86%
The greatest coming-of-age film to emerge from a decade that produced a countless number of them.
1	JaiGuy	100 _99%
I saw this when I was 8. It was both a poignant and romantic life defining movie. It gave me a new perspective on my own childhood. To this day I still haven't read The Body.
1	susmatt	80 _87%
One of my faves. Remembering what it was like.
1	m_rubio	100 _97%
One of my favourite movies of all time. A coming of age film about a young group of friends. Reminds me when I was twelve. Great film.
1	grimbol	100 _96%
This is one of the best movies ever made. The book is also amazing.
1	anchovies	78 _90%
Such a classic coming-of-age drama. Even years after I watched this film, I still remembered how deeply the characters affected me and how touching the ending was. Highly recommended.
1	Janicex	100 _91%
A nostalgic session.
1	CosmicMonkey	85 _85%
Was American boyhood in the 1950s actually like this? It doesn't matter because this entire film feels like a dream, with a filter of nostalgia applied by the narrator to a time that in reality was actually violent & harrowing. Despite their toilet humor these kids have more astuteness about their world than most adults and tell it with a brutal emotional honesty. Seeing a 12 year old boy cry because of poverty and classism and because he believes he'll never escape it is great storytelling.
1	dunbar	82 _80%
An exceptional coming-of-age film.
1	mertagabey	85 _93%
one of the best king adaptations out there.
1	Lasciel	92 _84%
Damned good movie.
1	John Quixote	91 _84%
One of the best coming-of-age films of the 80s. Absolutely fantastic overall.
1	Bunken	80 _88%
"Why don't you go home and fuck your mother some more?" A great King adaptation with believable characters and despite the sometimes out of place one on one talks and the annoying narration, Reiner keeps focus when it comes to depicting what boys do best: Trash talking, fighting and using their imagination... Took me back for an hour or so ;-)
1	hellboy76	97 _99%
I was 10 years old when this movie came out, which probably adds a little to its impact on me. I remember thinking it was one of these first films I had seen that portrayed children the way they actually acted; rude, swearing and sometimes deep. Overall one of my favorite films from my youth.
1	sarah_bear	100 _93%
One fantastic film
1	arkadia	76 _59%
Sweet, funny, dark, innocent, and surprisingly meaningful. Chris & Gordon are a classic friendship.
1	PirateJason	90 _91%
A classic and well done telling of boys growing up. Everything from the acting to the story is top notch.
1	frederic_g54	8 _77%
Watched it along with my bro, we laughed all the way through. I even sat through the end credits just to listen to Ben E. King's 'Stand by Me'. Arguably outdated, but compelling and rather invigorating. Doesn't lie when it says you meet your best friends at the age of 12.
1	martryn	93 _96%
I don't know what to say about this film. It's awesome. It's incredibly quotable. It features some fine talent from the mid-80's. It really makes a man pause and reminisce about his lost youth.
1	MJVmovieMan	90 _93%
A fascinating drama about youth, friendship and loyalty. One of Reiner's better films.
1	rdwn29905	90 _83%
a great film from a great short story
1	3Names	92 _87%
King at his best; iconic, universal, resonant... One of our best story-tellers, in the purest sense of the title, ever... Every "tween" should see this before they become jaded teenagers...
1	darkkato	92 _89%
Endlessly re-watchable comedy - incredible performances by this young cast
1	TheDiceman	55 _49%
Good film.
1	jacobkosh	91 _89%
Gives me the warm fuzzies for an era I wasn't even around to see. Great acting and I'm a sucker for road trip type stories (even though this wasn't a road per se).
1	BBBD	99 _98%
A ridiculously good cast, a terrific plot, and good dialogue make for an excellent movie. Any 10 year-old boy would love to go on an adventure like these kids. Recommended to everyone who likes movies that thoroughly entertain.
1	irvinejump	80 _84%
Not normally a fan of Stephen King, but this is done very well
1	Chili	90 _81%
Shows the disasters that can occur when kids aren't allowed to be kids.
1	Moribunny	65 _65%
A sweet teenage buddy film. Kudos to King and Reiner and the fabulous cast - Sutherland, Wheaton and Phoenix in particular.
1	AgentSnipe	87 _94%
It's rare to find a movie about youth that's both well written and well acted. Considering their age, the four boys in this movie give very strong and believable performances.
1	svicciarelli	90 _82%
A terrific coming of age tale.
1	Circe823	95 _92%
Just an all-around classic.
1	st_fly	80 _80%
Great. A writer reminisces about a childhood adventure where he and his friends take a trip to find the body of a dead boy. This is a story about kids but not for kids, it has mature themes dealing with loss, anger, abuse, but still manages to keep it a fun ride. Recommended.
1	atmclick	100 _94%
Change your outlook on life kind of movie.
1	Jeb	91 _82%
An innocent and sweet coming of age film that's both intrepid and ebony. Youth and friendship go hand in hand here.
1	MsIndpndnt	90 _87%
Love this movie so much. I love River Phoenix, some of the others are kind of wooden, but there are some really great moments all together. A surprisingly decent adaptation of a Stephen King Short story
1	Kalmah7	87 _89%
Excellent Stephen King adaptation- and also one of the most unique. One of the best coming-of-age movies you'll see.
1	Clay Pate	75 _67%
great kid movie
1	tathiel	90 _95%
Great coming-of-age movie!
1	spoonerspot	87 _94%
Excellent!
1	county_hell	85 _89%
A classic film from a time when I, myself, was just coming of age.
1	Aquaphoenix	100 _98%
A classic coming of age movie that gets better and better.
1	Dustyd	50 _22%
I'm just not one of the people that love this film. I like the performances, but that's it.
1	Aslak	10 _97%
Great film!
1	texxy	99 _99%
Great coming of age film!
1	recklessmess	90 _97%
classic.
1	hellsditch	86 _87%
One of the great stomach-punch endings ever. I enjoyed the interplay between the four lead actors in this one, and I think it's safe to say that Corey Feldman was at his peak here. River Phoenix just has a ton of charisma and sadly hints at unrealized greatness. Keifer Sutherland has a great turn as an opportunistic hood and manages to be quite threatening in doing so.
1	Adrianics	96 _93%
I could rave and rave about this movie and the effect it's had on my life forever. It achieves a miracle in that it's set in a very specific time frame and embraces the eccentricities of the era but the message of nostalgia and the fragility of childhood will surely resonate forever. Anyone who has ever lost a friend due to the utter injustice that is growing up will be effected, and the final scene featuring the kids is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen in a film.
1	KasperL	90 _97%
Superb coming-of-age tale with great child performances. A gem.
1	Oktfest	97 _95%
I grew up listening to the soundtrack to this movie on a cassette tape over and over. The acting and the memorable scenes in this movie somehow outdo even the stellar soundtrack. My favorite movie based on a Stephen King story (The Shawshank Redemption a close second). If you don't like this movie, I have one thing to say, "Chopper, sick balls!"

Average Percentile 67.32% from 7697 Ratings