The Goonies
When I was in elementary school, ABC would air The Goonies on Sunday nights every so often. Being a normal kid, I dreaded school at the time. The movie represented two hours of fun before five days of boredom. Even though IÕm now 22 years old, The Goonies is still a means of escape when life is chucking curveballs at me.
The action takes place in a coastal community. The main characters are a group of friends --Mouth, Chunk, Data and Mikey-- who call themselves Òthe Goonies.Ó They are in jeopardy of being separated, because the richest family in town is converting their homes into a country club. While looking through MikeyÕs attic for a way to save their homes, the Goonies stumble upon a pirate legend that supposedly took place in their town centuries ago. Equipped with the pirate map, the Goonies search the shoreline for an entrance to the cave where the pirate and his booty were last seen.
Fortunately, the friends find their starting point. However, the run-down restaurant concealing the entrance is also the headquarters of the bumbling and bickering Fratellis, a notorious criminal family. The Goonies, plus MikeyÕs older brother Brand and his friends Andy and Steph, sneak into the entrance, but Chunk is left behind to notify the authorities. The Fratellis catch Chunk and force the information out of him. The nasty outlaws imprison Chunk with their deformed brother Sloth while they follow the Goonies to the treasure. For the Goonies to reach their destination, theyÕll have to circumvent several booby traps and solve puzzles. Each Goonie and guest contributes to the success or survival of the entire group.
Director Richard Donner (the Lethal Weapon series) does a great job with pacing. He takes the time to develop the characters before thrusting the audience into the plot. The Goonies do not actually enter the tunnel until 40 minutes into the movie, but every preceding minute is used effectively. Donner is in no hurry throughout the rest of the film, which runs two hours. The Goonies is not the type of film where you have to wait for the good parts; youÕre caught up in the action in the first five minutes.
This movie appeals to all age groups. Children and teens can relate to the young characters and their adventurous spirit. Adults will likely appreciate the Indiana Jones-like story and the timeless good vs. evil plot element. The elderly will appreciate the lack of graphic violence, strong language, and sex.
The Goonies is the perfect film to watch when the stress of exams, term papers, job searches, etc., is bogging you down. YouÕll feel like a kid again. To make the most of the nostalgia, watch it before you go to bed on a Sunday night after finishing that killer essay.
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None of the characters in this family-friendly adventure are drinking. Feel free to pick up their slack.
A developing romance between Brand & Andy (short for Andrea) might lead to some smoochy-woochy kissy-wissy for you and your SO.
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