The GooniesWho knows what secrets are buried in your own backyard. The Goonies is a light-hearted adventure comedy about a group of young teens who call themselves "the Goonies", a band of misfit outsiders who reside in Astoria, Oregon...for the time being. Several homes in Astoria are being foreclosed to build a golf course, and Mike "Mikey" Walsh (Sean Astin) is determined to not let his childhood memories go quietly into that good night. When he stumbles across a mysterious map that might lead to the mythical treasure of the infamous pirate, One-Eyed Willy, he convinces the other Goonies to join him on one last adventure.
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The Goonies is a fondly remembered cult classic, with its engaging characters, exciting plot, and humorous dialogue. It was the result of a combined effort between three of Hollywood's most popular and profitable filmmakers--producer Steven Spielberg, director Richard Donner, and screenwriter Chris Columbus--pooling their efforts into a film that highlights their strengths and signature styles. The result of this Eighties cinematic equivalent of a "supergroup" is a tale that is made for young teens like Mikey and his friends--the sarcastic Clark a.k.a. "Mouth" (Corey Feldman), the eccentric inventor, "Data" (Jonathan Ke Huy Quan), and the craven Lawrence (Jeff Cohen), better known as "Chunk". The variety, unique charisma, and awkward charm of the Goonies makes them sympathetic misfits on the verge of losing their childhood home--easier for the audience to put themselves in their shoes as they embark on their adventure. The teens naturalism and authenticity also makes them seem less like actors and more like buddies you might hang out with after school, playing marbles or riding your bike through the woods with them. The Goonies feels a lot like a superlative pilot for an unrealized adventure series, hinting at other hijinks of the Goonies. Mikey fondly recalls his time spent with his friends, and details allude to prior episodes of them getting into mischief. Even the opening montage introducing the characters while the sinister Fratellis escape the police in a high-speed chase is like an opening title sequence of an Eighties-era TV show. This makes The Goonies feel like a capstone adventure for these rascals, and leaves the audience wanting more of what came before after the credits roll. Just as Mikey and his friends feel like a band of assorted kids going on wacky adventures à la "Scooby-Doo", supporting background characters also flesh out this world. Mikey's older brother, Brandon "Brand" Walsh (Josh Brolin), playfully teases Mikey about his asthma condition while working out and sulks after failing his driving test, but there's a guilty sense of childish joy he gets when he is roped into the adventures Mikey and the other Goonies. There is also Brand's would-be girlfriend and cheerleader, Andy (Kerri Green), and her friend, Stef (Martha Plimpton), who get "deputized" along the way. The primary antagonists of The Goonies are the aforementioned family of murderous crooks, the Fratellis--a mob led by the coarse matriarch, "Mama" (Anne Ramsey), and her two bickering adult sons, Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi). The Fratellis are fundamentally mustache-twirling villains, suitable sneering foes for the kids to thwart again and again. But the heart of The Goonies comes in the form of the fourth Fratelli, the deformed giant known as Sloth (John Matuszak). Abused by his family, he is befriended by Chunk, and reveals that while he may be ugly on the outside, his pure heart and bravery is a total contrast from the rest of his deceitful clan.
Aside from being a teen pirate adventure, The Goonies is also a story about cherishing one's past. In a role reversal, it is the kids who take action to preserve their history, the heritage, and legends of Astoria. This is something passed down to Mikey, since his father (Keith Walker) is a curator at the local history museum, and keeps the "rejected" relics in his own attic. Even Mikey's mother, Irene (Mary Ellen Trainor)--from whom Mikey gets his tendency to mix up words--is a bit of a history buff, suggested by her statue of Michelangelo's "David"...and all of its pieces. These values they have passed onto Mikey burn even stronger in him; while his hard working parents have struggled to try to keep their house, Mikey and his friends literally risk their lives to preserve the past. The Goonies persevere in spite of other adults like the smarmy real estate magnate, Mr. Perkins (Curtis F. Hanson), and his bratty son, Troy (Steve Antin)--country club snobs who represent the evil in discarding the past for the sake of meaningless profit and banality, like the golf course they plan to install in lieu of people's homes. There is also the subtext of a class struggle in The Goonies, since their town is under threat of being bought out by the disgusting rich without sympathy or remorse. It's unclear just how financially on the rocks the Walsh's are if they are able to hire the Spanish-speaking Rosalita (Lupe Ontiveros) to aid them in the move, but it's pretty clear that jerks like Troy and his father are totally loathsome and are crooks not far removed from the Fratellis. One of the motifs in The Goonies deals with the predominance of complicated mechanisms--needlessly complex "Rube Goldberg machines". This first that shows up is a bizarre system used to open the gate for Chunk, following his performance of the "Truffle Shuffle". This continues in the film, mostly in the various booby-traps (that's what I said, booby-traps) throughout One-Eyed Willy's dangerous caves leading to--and within--his pirate ship. Even Data's assorted inventions--which usually backfire hilariously--are impractical even if they are occasionally useful. Compare this with how the Fratellis resolve their problems; it is usually with a lack of sophistication, with the exception of Mama Fratelli's choice to mask their escape through an ORV beach race. This shows that in the end, even if the path is complicated and unpredictable, the determined and clever win out over the uninspired, and by challenging expectations and finding a new path, one can discover hidden treasures. This is what sets the Goonies apart from the older generation, which is too linear in its thinking, and loses out by neglecting its past.
Recommended for: Fans of a funny and charming teen adventure story, featuring gangsters, pirates, young romance, comedy, and dangerous traps. This distinctly Eighties cult classic also boasts a memorable score, including the theme song, "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough", by Cyndi Lauper.
Aside from being a teen pirate adventure, The Goonies is also a story about cherishing one's past. In a role reversal, it is the kids who take action to preserve their history, the heritage, and legends of Astoria. This is something passed down to Mikey, since his father (Keith Walker) is a curator at the local history museum, and keeps the "rejected" relics in his own attic. Even Mikey's mother, Irene (Mary Ellen Trainor)--from whom Mikey gets his tendency to mix up words--is a bit of a history buff, suggested by her statue of Michelangelo's "David"...and all of its pieces. These values they have passed onto Mikey burn even stronger in him; while his hard working parents have struggled to try to keep their house, Mikey and his friends literally risk their lives to preserve the past. The Goonies persevere in spite of other adults like the smarmy real estate magnate, Mr. Perkins (Curtis F. Hanson), and his bratty son, Troy (Steve Antin)--country club snobs who represent the evil in discarding the past for the sake of meaningless profit and banality, like the golf course they plan to install in lieu of people's homes. There is also the subtext of a class struggle in The Goonies, since their town is under threat of being bought out by the disgusting rich without sympathy or remorse. It's unclear just how financially on the rocks the Walsh's are if they are able to hire the Spanish-speaking Rosalita (Lupe Ontiveros) to aid them in the move, but it's pretty clear that jerks like Troy and his father are totally loathsome and are crooks not far removed from the Fratellis. One of the motifs in The Goonies deals with the predominance of complicated mechanisms--needlessly complex "Rube Goldberg machines". This first that shows up is a bizarre system used to open the gate for Chunk, following his performance of the "Truffle Shuffle". This continues in the film, mostly in the various booby-traps (that's what I said, booby-traps) throughout One-Eyed Willy's dangerous caves leading to--and within--his pirate ship. Even Data's assorted inventions--which usually backfire hilariously--are impractical even if they are occasionally useful. Compare this with how the Fratellis resolve their problems; it is usually with a lack of sophistication, with the exception of Mama Fratelli's choice to mask their escape through an ORV beach race. This shows that in the end, even if the path is complicated and unpredictable, the determined and clever win out over the uninspired, and by challenging expectations and finding a new path, one can discover hidden treasures. This is what sets the Goonies apart from the older generation, which is too linear in its thinking, and loses out by neglecting its past.
Recommended for: Fans of a funny and charming teen adventure story, featuring gangsters, pirates, young romance, comedy, and dangerous traps. This distinctly Eighties cult classic also boasts a memorable score, including the theme song, "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough", by Cyndi Lauper.