“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”

The infamous line of the 1986 movie Stand by Me perfectly encapsulates what it means to grow up and reflects the nostalgia, simplicity, and unconditional loyalty of childhood friendship.

The coming-of-age story was adapted from the Stephen King novel, which follows a group of 12-year-old boys — Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy — in 1959.

The story is told from a grown Gordan “Gordie” Lachance after he hears about the death of his childhood friend Chris. He reflects on their adventures one Labor Day weekend. 

Vern overhears his older brother talking about how he found the body of a missing boy — Ray Brower — outside of town. He tells his friends what he overhears, and they decide to go find the body in hopes of becoming “local Heros”.

The group sets out on a 20-mile walk along the train tracks. Throughout their journey, the boys face mean landowners, leeches, trains, and even one another. Yet none of these challenges compares to the battles they are fighting within themselves.

Gordie struggles with overwhelming grief after the death of his older brother and feels the weight of his parents’ disappointment. Teddy wrestles with the reality of his unstable father, who takes his anger out on him. Meanwhile, Chris carries the guilt of his past wrongdoings, while the town has predestined him to be a no-good troublemaker.  

Originally, I put this movie on to take a nap, but I was instantly drawn into the complexities of these young characters. 

Statistically, you are more likely to watch a movie in which you can relate to the characters in some way. Being a 21st-century teenage girl, I didn’t think I would be able to envelop myself in the story because what do I have in common with four 12-year-old boys from the ‘60s? 

I was wrong. Stand by Me explores losing childhood innocence as you grow up–a theme that is especially present in my life right now as I get ready to go to college. 

While in different ways, everyone experiences a moment when they realize that the world is not always sunshine and rainbows, as it is made out to be when you are young. There comes a time when anyone has to face real-life problems. 

This movie is the perfect combination of humor and tear-jerking moments. What makes it so effective is how it tackles serious themes like grief and trauma through the lens of childhood. These heavy topics are explored by youthful characters, making the movie more lighthearted and nostalgic. 

My favorite character was Chris. He gives off a hard exterior, but in reality, he has the biggest heart of anyone. 

He saves Teddy from being hit by a train, and he gives Gordie a safe space to open up about his brother. Chris is the kind of friend everyone wants to have.

At first, when the movie ended, I  was left dissatisfied. I couldn’t see the whole point of the movie if they didn’t become heroes, and the group never hung out with each other again. 

But then I realized that’s the whole point of the movie. That is the point of life. You make friends as a kid who won’t be your friend forever. It seems sad, but it’s the circle of life. You make friends, you grow apart, and repeat. 

Different people are in your life at various times for various reasons. Gordie, Vern, Teddy, and Chris needed each other grew up together, got into trouble, went on adventures, leaned on each other when times were hard, then eventually grew up and found other people. 

While you might never experience the friendship quite like the ones you had at 12, that might just be what made your memories so fond and childhood so nostalgic.