The Goonies (1985) Review

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THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Friendship is one of the most powerful things people could ever have. With your friends, you can go through adventures you never thought you’d ever experience. And there is one movie that particularly expresses this just right. 


PLOT


The Goonies follows Michael Walsh, who lives in the Goon Docks of Astoria, Oregon with his brother Brandon and their parents. They are moving soon because their neighborhood is facing foreclosure and going to be demolished. On the last day, Mikey gets a visit by his group of friends: Lawrence Cohen/Chunk, Clark Devereaux/Mouth and Richard Wang/Data. They visit in hopes to have one last weekend together before Mikey leaves. When running his old attic, they find an old doubloon and a treasure map that belonged to the infamous pirate ‘One Eyed Willy’, where the treasure could be located nearby. Knowing the treasure can save their homes if it’s real, Mikey convinces his friends to join him in the treasure hunt and they bind Brand to a chair, knowing he wouldn’t let them go. The map takes them to an abandoned restaurant, but little do they know it’s the hideout of the Fratelli crime family that includes Mama Fratelli and her sons, Jake & Francis. Chunk leaves the restaurant to warn the police only for him to be captured by them and be imprisoned alongside their deformed brother Sloth. As for the other three boys, they take a tunnel in the basement and follow. Brand catches up and is followed by tomboy Stef Steinbrenner & her friend Andy Carmichael, who has a crush of him. He confronts Mikey to come back home, but his brother insists on moving forward since they don’t want to move. Chunk is then forced by the Fratellis to tell them where his friends are going. He does however befriend with Sloth to the point where he frees them both, but his decision to call the police backfires since they presume it to be a lie, due to his past cases of tall tales. Along the tunnels does the group evade booby traps and get ahead of the Fratellis until they reach One Eyed Willy’s ship, The Inferno. There lies his corpse and all the treasure needed to save their homes, but are halted from collecting for themselves when the Fratellis catch up. They force each Andy to walk the plank until Chunk & Sloth intervene. Their distraction give the others a chance to swim to safety and Brand saves Andy from drowning, sharing a kiss in the process. When the Fratellis take their own treasure, it sets off one of Willy’s traps and causes the grotto to cave in. Luckily, all the kids get out of the cave in time. They reach the beach and reunite with their families, whereas the Fratellis get arrested by the police. They almost arrest Sloth as well until the kids said otherwise. Just when Mikey & Brand’s dad is about to foreclose, but chooses not to when the housekeeper Rosalina finds a marble bag of the ship’s jewels that weren’t seized by the Fratellis. Knowing that’ll give them enough money negate it, he rips up the paper. The film ends with all the characters seeing the Inferno break free of the grotto and sail off majestically in the distance.


THOUGHTS


It has been a privilege to be born in the late 90s and see a long evolution of filmmaking that has been since. My favorite decade has been the 80s lately because that was an era where there were more risks than after. Richard Donner is arguably one of the truest of filmmakers to live up to this mindset because most of his directorial credits hit that bar and remain immortal.The Goonies is no exception because with every second that passes by, you're just filled with so much excitement that you can't get enough of it. Nick McLean's cinematography and J Michael Riva's for the grotto feels so transcendent because this is the ideal adventure to be part of, a modern treasure hunt. Any kid loves the idea of participating in one like a real pirate would because the journey helps everyone involved think outside the box and get past the comfort zone in the most positive way. When you are aware of that, this movie will then remind you the gift of how the best success comes from teamwork. And when you have a team of people that share similar goals, you'll teach each other how to enhance all the perseverance and courage needed to get through the rest of our lives. That said message is in full effect when you witness this young ensemble come together and create a bond that can never be duplicated. Before joining a medieval fellowship, Sean Astin stole our hearts as Mikey. As a kid, all he wants is to stay where he's most happy and can't bare losing just that. He sparks surreal motivation to keep what he has and it's honestly inspiring because all that feeling where change is too much for us to cope with. While it can be good for some, he knew he wasn't gonna handle losing all his friends at once and Josh Brolin made a good brother out of Brand who wanted the same thing. He tries to think realistic in order to level with him, but the more he saw how bad his brother wanted to keep the connection, the more lenient he got about it. The decision was worth it because luck was on their side when it was all over. When you look at all the friends they had, I think I would fight for them too the way they did. Ke Huy Quan was a god damn delight as Data because the guy had his own imagination he embraced and I wouldn't have him any other way. He's inspired by his dad to make 007-themed gadgets and while some need improvements, some were just right as he used them to hold off the Fratellis along the way. Corey Feldman was also awesome as Mouth because despite being the talkative one, he proved loyalty when translating the map. The more he was called out though about his attitude, the more he saw it pushed people away which he didn’t want. Jeff Cohen is a nonstop blast as Chunk because he can’t help it being so clumsy and naive that it gets the best of him. He lies so much that people catch on pretty quick and he can’t help it because that’s how fast it helps him attention. When it came to seeing the seriousness of the truth upon encountering the Fratellis, he understood the value of honesty. The bonus for him was finding an unusual friend. Now we can the dynamic trio of the Fratellis were all well played by Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano & Anne Ramsey who nail it in being shamelessly ruthless in the style of choice. Sadly, they don’t stop this behavior before the only other person in their family they have left who happens to harmless within. Football player John Matuszak made Sloth his own icon for being a gentle giant who only attacked when provoked. Meeting Chunk was a heaven made match because the boy was the only one who appreciated him for who he was. He was surprised of course, but got used to him and never really took advantage of him. He also couldn’t help it in saving his family they’re all he had before the Goonies came their way. With them arrested now, it’s safe to assume he’ll live a happier life. Last but not least, Kerri Green was enjoyable as Andy because despite being a damsel, she had her own heart to give. She was crazy for Brand because he was selfless compared to Troy Perkins, who’s the typical self absorbed bully you expect in the 80s. I still think it’s funny she kissed Mikey on accident since she tried to do the same to Brand and chose to have her eyes closed, but at least things came around as she hoped. Martha Plimpton was also cool as Stef because she matched Mouth’s sarcasm and was able to hear out whatever Andy was feeling. She felt like a rock to everyone since she was able to tell it like it was and everyone respected her for it. If she wasn’t so down to earth, I don’t think Mouth would ever notice how he is. The idea to stop adoring this movie is non existent, but I can admit there are moments that could’ve been changed/improved. First off, why is only one guard responsible for releasing an entire block of prisoners? It makes sense if it’s one at a time, but he deserved back up for an entire cell block. And there were more guards that came out of the building when the Fratellis escaped, so what gives? Moving along, how did Mouth get through the gate when it needs a machine to open it? Did he actually hop over without making a mess? Would be cool saying that. Also, how is it that Mikey chooses the last day at home to see the attic? I mean if he is so interested in the stories his father shared, he should’ve checked it out way before the final notice. And how did Mike find the boys when he didn’t know where they were going? If he actually found their bikes out of luck, we should see that too as well as seeing the girls follow him. If there is anything so confusing about the tunnel is that it’s supposed to be a secret, yet there are pipes connected to a locker room. Did the people who set it up just not bother checking out the rest of the tunnel afterwards? Because that would be ridiculous to believe. The Fratellis have the upper hand when they find the kids at the boat, but how come only the girls get tied up? Yeah they stayed out until Chunk & Sloth showed up, but it made no sense because they could’ve tried and they know it. I like the happy ending that the maid conveniently finds the jewels, but why did she come in the first place? She only knew Mike’s family for a place, so she’s nowhere close to being considered a friend. She really had no business being there other than being a deus ex machina. Ignore all of this and you’re still gonna have the time of your life. In conclusion, The Goonies is an amazing film because it makes you experience the friendships you’d have in your life. For those who love that along with the taste of adventure, this film is the one for you.