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The Goonies follows a group of friends from the "Goon Docks" in Astoria, Oregon. When their homes are threatened by foreclosure because of the expansion of a wealthy country club, they set out in an adventure to find the long-lost treasure of pirate One-Eyed Willy. Meanwhile, they must also avoid The Fratellis, a family of criminals who are also looking for the treasure.
This is yet another one of those films I've seen dozens of times, but I wanted my kids to watch it. I've always enjoyed the thrills and fun of the kids' adventure and thought it would be a good fit for them. Even though there's a lot of danger and murder, I love how it's mostly treated in such a playful and whimsical way, while carrying a message of persistence and never giving up; you know, Goonies never say die!
All of these is anchored in the performances and chemistry of the lead cast. The four main kids (Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan, and Jeff Cohen) work so well off each other that you just believe they've been friends for years. Not only that, but their integration with the older characters (Josh Brolin, Kerri Green, and Martha Plimpton) is also believable, thanks to great writing and characterization.
In addition, we get some colorful villains, and some excellent and memorable setpieces, which makes for an irresistible treat. Sure, there are times when the "fantastic" elements are a bit too stretched, particularly with some of Data's gadgets, but it's all in good fun. It's somewhat magical to know that I've watched a film lots of times as a kid, and now – almost 40 years later – I get to watch it with my own kids. But you know what they say: Goonies never say die.
Grade:
THE GOONIES
(1985, Donner)
(1985, Donner)
"Goonies never say die!"
The Goonies follows a group of friends from the "Goon Docks" in Astoria, Oregon. When their homes are threatened by foreclosure because of the expansion of a wealthy country club, they set out in an adventure to find the long-lost treasure of pirate One-Eyed Willy. Meanwhile, they must also avoid The Fratellis, a family of criminals who are also looking for the treasure.
This is yet another one of those films I've seen dozens of times, but I wanted my kids to watch it. I've always enjoyed the thrills and fun of the kids' adventure and thought it would be a good fit for them. Even though there's a lot of danger and murder, I love how it's mostly treated in such a playful and whimsical way, while carrying a message of persistence and never giving up; you know, Goonies never say die!
All of these is anchored in the performances and chemistry of the lead cast. The four main kids (Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan, and Jeff Cohen) work so well off each other that you just believe they've been friends for years. Not only that, but their integration with the older characters (Josh Brolin, Kerri Green, and Martha Plimpton) is also believable, thanks to great writing and characterization.
In addition, we get some colorful villains, and some excellent and memorable setpieces, which makes for an irresistible treat. Sure, there are times when the "fantastic" elements are a bit too stretched, particularly with some of Data's gadgets, but it's all in good fun. It's somewhat magical to know that I've watched a film lots of times as a kid, and now – almost 40 years later – I get to watch it with my own kids. But you know what they say: Goonies never say die.
Grade: