There's Nothing Quite Like Childhood Friends

As I'm writing this on a Tuesday morning, clouds are taking over the sky and a light rain seems imminent.  In other words, it is the perfect movie weather.  In fact, all I want to do is curl up with a hot cup of coffee and a feel-good movie.

Rob Reiner's 1986 film, Stand By Me, is the perfect remedy to a day like today.

Stand By Me tells the story of a group of four twelve year old boys who go exploring to find the corpse of a boy who is reported to have died along the town's train tracks.  Based off the Stephen King novel The Body, you may expect this tale to be disturbing or scary, but do not be alarmed; the main take aways are regarding the importance of loyalty and friendship as we grow out of childhood and are forced to face reality.

The story is told through the eyes of the adult Gordie Lachance (played by Wil Wheaton) as he writes about his childhood and the weekend that changed his life.  Not many people can recall the exact moment they entered adulthood, but for Gordie, staring into the lifeless eyes of a kid his own age was this pivotal moment.

This point of view is crucial to creating the nostalgia that is present throughout the movie, while also bringing into light the looming idea of adulthood.  The narrator looks back on these moments spent horsing around with his friends as some of his best memories, making the movie not only funny, but just fun to watch, as it reminds us of our own memories.  Whether it be teasing each other (all in good fun of course), telling ghost stories around a bonfire, or acting tough to impress one another, Stand By Me brings us back to being kids when all we wanted to do was have a good time goofing off with our friends.  Moments like this are what make this a feel-good movie, as we watch this group of friends embracing being young and stupid.

However this film appeals to us as we know too well what it feels like to be at childhood's gate.  We watch the characters deal with issues such as dysfunctional family dynamics, bad reputations, death, and parental pressure to succeed, and even if we can't relate directly, we understand that with growing up comes the recognition that there are bigger issues than who would win in a foot race.

Why does this make the perfect movie for a rainy day?  Because it is laced with nostalgia, making us feel like everything is as simple as it used to be.  Not to mention a well crafted plot that keeps us laughing as we watch "boys just being boys", while also dying to know if they will find the body (pun intended).  It is heartbreaking at times, but comes with the important reminder that friends are what get us through the challenges we face, especially as we grow up.

I leave you with my favorite line, which is not even spoken, that drives home the idea of how important friends can be in shaping our lives.  The reason you will be captivated by this movie enough to watch it over and over is because it instills this idea, leaving us longing for a day to sit around goofing off with each other like we used to do.