The Goonies

The Goonies

Richard Donner's 1985 classic, The Goonies remains to be one of the most celebrated kid’s movies and instantly became a favorite of young viewers upon its release. The action and adventure that occur throughout the film are what young kids often daydream about. The film follows Mikey Walsh, a bright and nice young boy who stumbles onto a treasure map and decides to go looking for fortune and fame with his friends Data, Mouth and Chunk. Mikey and his family are facing foreclosure and the possibility of making a life changing discovery and finding One-Eyed Willy's treasure is just too much to resist. The cast of characters are goofy, immature but full of heart and a true embodiment of the eighties. Also tagging along are Mikey's older brother Brand and two high school aged girls Stef and Andy. The chemistry among the group of protagonist is undeniable and the film is so fun in its portrayal of danger and excitement. The Goonies must not only survive all the booby traps along the way to the treasure but must also escape the clutches of a group of recently sprung criminals called the Fratellis. Several scenes show Mikey and his pals solving deadly puzzles, escaping danger and using whatever gadgets Data brought with him to save their skin.

Mikey is a thoughtful young man and throughout the movie you can tell that he really just wants to experience the wonderful feeling of discovering something. Fame and Fortune are nothing without his best friends beside him. That is what is so powerful about The Goonies is that it engages the audience and just makes the journey look like fun. As a kid I spent much time in the backyard with my sisters searching for make believe objects that were just a figment of my imagination. I never found anything but I just enjoyed being out and about with my two best friends. I must say that do the dangerous situation that the Goonies encounter they most likely resemble miniature adults. Hintz and Tribunella define this model of childhood by stating, that children remain immature but capable of completing tasks that would be typically done by adults (27). I would say exploring a booby trapped corridor while trying to escape from three loony convicts is no small task for any kid. Pulitzer prize winning film critic also stated in his review of The Goonies that film makers such as Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner allowed there young protagonists to ,”His technique is to take his thirteen and fourteen year old (actors) and let them act a little older than their (characters) age”. This is a nice touch and it adds to the film because kids often try to act older and tougher than what they are (I know I did and oh man I got into some mischief). The Goonies remains a classic because of its likable lead characters, depiction of adventure and its overall balance of childlike nostalgia and eighties era fun.

To read Roger Ebert's original review simply click, http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-goonies-1985

Here is a clip from Youtube that shows Mikey and the other Goonies setting off a dangerous trap. Watch how Data is able to save himself from falling to his death. It is a dangerous situation but the young protagonists find a way to prevail. https://youtu.be/i0aPTpZR-g8

Hintz, Carrie, and Eric L. Tribunella. Reading Children's Literature: A Critical Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. Print.