Stand By Me brings back the entire adult longing for childhood. It is filmed in such a way that it almost seems unreal, while at the same time each viewer recognizes that at one point or another they have had a similar experience. Viewers leave theatres or couches with a sense of longing for an earlier, better time when all was right with the world. Nostalgia helps bring viewers and critics into Gordie's world. Most children have similar experiences, and Stand By Me draws all those feelings from childhood into one film. People love this film because it allows them to experience childhood again.

The casting of the story is also exceptional. The four boys are the perfect combination. They are different enough that they shouldn't be friends, but they are all alike in that they long to be grown up and mature. The...