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Consumed by curiosity the group elects to make the trip, just to see what a dead person actually looks like. Chris, charismatic and understanding, is the natural leader of the four. Despite being labelled as a "bad sort" and suffering abuse from his drunken father, Chris is in many ways the most dependable (if a touch misguided). Gordie is much more introspective, a result of his naturally intense imagination and being saddled parents still grieving over the untimely loss of his older brother. If anything, this abuse by neglect is far more damaging than a physical beating. Completing the square, Teddy's father is borderline psychotic and institutionalised (having come close to killing Teddy) while Vern has the twin stigma of being both pudgy and slow.
The shared element for these buddies is that their formative years are being disturbed in these varied ways, with results that linger a lifetime. Still, in the bright Oregon sunshine, they're off on an adventure into the remote forest. Following the rail tracks their conversation and actions are littered with the cruelties of children, cutting remarks which are taken for granted. Luckily such slights are quickly forgotten at this age, discarded in the headlong rush towards their next all-engrossing activity. In addition, the roots of their friendship are solid enough to weather their bickering. When the chips are down they'll stick up for each other, even at the risk of their own (barely started) lives. This devotion, which becomes inevitably dissolute when new schools are attended, is sorely tested as their quarry nears.
A significant part of the enjoyment of Stand by Me stems from the small group of realistic characters used and the quirks inherent in their behaviour. All of the games, teases, catch-phrases, punishments and fears which dominate the world of a twelve year-old are lovingly recreated, enhancing the stock roles with extra dimensionality. The warmth which surrounds these almost-teenagers is palpable, despite the off-screen menace of parents and the all too real threat of older kids. This last group represents a definite warning, an indication of the consequences of straying from the path (as well as a direct physical danger).
The major drawback of such coming-of-age movies is that they tend towards a rose-tinted perspective, sentimentalising the halcyon days of the film-makers youth. Stand by Me mostly avoids such a trap, though occasionally the boys' reactions and speeches betray an adult guiding hand. Mostly the dialogue is honest and direct, reflecting the interests of such kids. The verdant landscape and rustic trains of Oregon (standing in for Maine) are blankly beautiful, which is to be expected, but the real stars are the actors themselves. Phoenix is wide-ranging in his keystone performance, although everyone acquits themselves. Stand by Me is certain to revive childhood memories, which is a fine objective, but beyond this remains a singularly human experience.
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