Review: The Goonies (1985)

This is a Resurfaced review written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

Goonies

The Goonies

Rating

Director

Richard Donner

Screenplay

Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg

Length

1h 54m

Starring

Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey, Lupe Ontiveros, Mary Ellen Trainor, Keith Walker, Curtis Hanson

MPAA Rating

Basic Plot

In order to save their homes, four kids decide to go in search of a mysterious treasure that could very well save them all.

Review

When you were a kid, did you ever feel like an outsider? You weren’t good at sports, but you excelled in intellectual pursuits? Then you might just have been a “Goonie.”

“Goonies” is a kid’s film. It’s filled with high adventure and childish comedy. What adults will find most interesting is relating their childhood to the film.

While searching through their attic, Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin), Chunk (Jeff Cohen), Mouth (Corey Feldman) and Data (Ke Huy Quan) come across a very old map and a flat, rock skull. There is said to be a vast pirate treasure that the map leads to and the skull turns out to be a key to its location. There is even a legend of a man named Cobblepot who went in search of said treasure, but never returned.

They decide to go in search of the treasure in order to save their families’ homes. Only Mikey’s older brother, Brandon (Josh Brolin), stands in their way. They promptly tie him to a large chair, let out the air in his bicycle tires and ride off.

There’s only one small problem, the Fratelli family: Jake (Robert Davi), Francis (Joe Pantoliano), and Mama (Anne Ramsey). They are a band of felons evading the law who are taking hideout in the building that leads to the treasure.

They are joined eventually by Brandon, a girl Brandon’s sweet on, Andy (Kerri Green), and her friend Stef (Martha Plimpton).

Their adventures quickly lead them to various encounters with booby traps and the Fratelli family.

Only Steven Spielberg, who wrote the story, could have come up with an almost-adult, kid’s film that works on multiple levels, but not all at the same time.

“Goonies” is an entertaining film and has a cult following of teens from the ’80s, who remember the film well. Adults will enjoy watching it with their children, since it’s a more subdued family film than what comes out today.