Stand by Me

Every time I watch this film I can't help but think what a waste is was to have lost River Phoenix at such an early age. He was simply captivating in this adaptation of Stephen King's novella THE BODY and though the main characteris to be Wil Wheaton and Richard Dreyfuss as an adult it is Phoenix who steals the show. Simply put, director Rob Reiner works magic with this tale of the loss of childhood innocence, a theme King works with frequently, and the work he teases from these ten and eleven year old actors is truly amazing. Granted, with the exception of Jerry O'Connell, who makes he debut here, the young cast could already be considered veterans. I've heard a couple of people complain about the authenticity of the characters and their actions for the time period. Being one of those "kids" that King is writing about here I can attest that we were in fact as bad as he makes us out. There is little difference between Maine and Nova Scotia, yes, there is a border between us and the Americans have more guns but we are pretty much the same which is why I can identify so easily with the world King works in. John Cusack has a little cameo here and Kiefer Sutherland, who I'm sure was wrongly arrested for that DUI as I've never seen him, or any other Sutherland for that matter take a drink, is an absolute treat here as a shit ass reprobate. STAND BY ME remains one of those truly special films and let us pray they don't fuck up it's legacy by remaking it as has been recently rumored.