Stand By Me

Hey everyone,

       I was thinking the other day about the 1986 film Stand By Me, directed by Rob Reiner. It's one of my absolute favorites. I could just watch it all day. For one thing, it has four of my favorite actors in it, albeit John Cusack plays a very minor role. River Phoenix, playing Chris Chambers, was a fabulous actor. I can't tell you how upset I was when I looked him up and found out that he died before I was born. The same thing happened with Mother Teresa. River Phoenix makes me cry every time I see that movie. He was in My Own Private Idaho, with Keanu Reeves, coincidentally also an actor I enjoy. Kudos to Phoenix for his wonderful and insightful portrayal of a gay hustler. Next, the antagonist of Stand By Me is, of course, played by Kiefer Sutherland. Now 45, the actor was only 20 when he played the teenage hood Ace Merrill. It was one of his first films, and one I'll always remember him for. Kiefer Sutherland, known for playing tough characters (Jack Bauer from 24), is pitted against one of the most influential, talented and emotionally rich young actors of his time, River Phoenix, and the result is earth shattering. The movie is emotional and thought-provoking. It's simple, yet intricate and overwhelming. Personally, I don't think you can watch it once and even hope to fully understand it. Throw in a fragile main protagonist portrayed by Wil Wheaton, and you've got yourself a winner. Coincidentally, I saw Wil Wheaton in an episode of Eureka the other day. His acting has evolved in an interesting way. Thirdly, Corey Feldman. That's all I have to say. Could you find a more complicated, interesting actor? In The Lost Boys (with Kiefer Sutherland), in The Goonies (with Sean Astin from LOTR), and in Stand By Me, he is more you could ever hope for or expect from a child actor. I haven't seen him in anything recently, but he blows me away in his early movies. Like River Phoenix, he had a complicated and unhappy childhood. A lot of that emotional intensity and brokenness really comes out in his acting. I don't know if any of you were aware, but he played a part in Michael Jackson's trial all those years back. The King of Pop really screwed him up, and his parents didn't help his childhood much either. Last and finally, the main protagonist's dead older brother briefly makes an appearance in the film, played by John Cusack. I love all John Cusack's movies. From Sixteen Candles to 2012, he never fails to astonish me with his incredible depth. I was fairly disappointed with Hot Tub Time Machine, but Cusack's acting and the thin humor managed to hold it together. All in all, John Cusack is an exceptional actor and at 45, is still an extremely attractive actor to me. Stand By Me is a ground-breaking and life-changing movie that everyone should see. I think it's way underrated. Its amazing musical score, terrific actors and a simple but reverberating plot make it a film I couldn't live without. Go rent it, or find it at a library near you.

-Kaetie Mulhern