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1985

 

Sean Astin as Mikey

Josh Brolin as Brand

Corey Feldman as Mouth

Jonathan Ke Quan as Data

Screenplay by Chris Columbus; story by Steven Spielberg

Directed by Richard Donner

 

Happy 48th birthday to Mr. Mouth himself, Corey Feldman! This young bilingual (in the movie, at least) started acting at the tender age of 3. He made headlines by divorcing his parents (being granted legal emancipation from them) at age 15 due to misappropriation of his earnings (apparently they took nearly $1 million from his accounts). He was one of the “Two Coreys” in the 80s and 90s, paired with another young power actor, Corey Haim. They starred together in The Lost Boys (1987), and then continued making movies through the next several years.

The Goonies is about a group of preteens in Astoria, Oregon, who are residents in the “Goon Docks” area of the town (lower income, one could assume). Their families and homes are threatened with foreclosure by the expansion of the local country club, and are hoping to spend one last good weekend together before they’re forced to move. While rummaging through Mikey (Astin; the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Rudy) and Brand’s (Brolin; Thanos in the MCU, No Country for Old Men) attic, the boys find a treasure map, which fuels their imaginations into thinking that they might be able to save the Goon Docks if they could find the treasure.

While it’s not the best movie, the Goonies is a cult classic and has many redeeming qualities, including:

  • The cast. I hope you’re not questioning my capability as a reviewer, since I seem to “default” to this as a reason for enjoying a film in most of my reviews. Well, the film is only as good as its characters. If you don’t give a shit about the people in the movie, you won’t care about the movie. And this group is worth giving a shit about. The boys are all adorable, and it just seems like such a buddy film—Astin, Brolin, Ke Quan, Feldman, Jeff Cohen (Chunk; Family Ties), Kerri Green (Andy; Lucas), and Martha Plimpton (Stef; Parenthood, the Mosquito Coast) are a fabulous group who clearly bonded during filming. The villains who give chase are pretty amazing as well—Anne Ramsey (Mama; Scrooged, Throw Momma from the Train), Robert Davi (Jake; Licence to Kill, Die Hard), and Joe Pantoliano (Francis; Memento, the Matrix) are funny and scary at the same time. And Sloth (John Matuszak; North Dallas Forty, also formerly from the NFL)—he gets credit for one of the most quoted lines in film history.
  • The locations. I mean, the real ones. The sets are just sets—Indiana Jones-style sets, but for kids. I had the privilege of visiting Astoria last summer, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The whole of the northern Oregon coast is just like it seems in the movie—misty, green, narrow, and beautiful. I’m pretty sure we saw the rocks from the same vantage point the kiddos do in the movie when they hold up the doubloon and see through the holes.

Weepy Meter: 2/10 There’s a good feeling that follows through the movie. You might tear up when you reach the end.

Man Meter: 6/10 He grew up with it. And if he didn’t, it’s time he started.

Overall Rating: 7/10 Again, it’s not the most incredible of young adult action films produced in the 80s (Labyrinth will be on the menu in the near future), but it’s so damn popular. The score is memorable, the kids are fun, and who doesn’t want to discover a pirate ship deep in the caves on the Oregon coast?

 

Photo credit: © 1985 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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