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
Review: When a group of young misfits called "The Goonies" discover a treasure map they set out on an adventure to recover the missing loot while being chased by a counterfeiting crime family, dodging deadly booby traps, and befriending a lovable lug named Sloth.
Where do I begin? The Goonies was the second movie I had ever seen on the big screen; the first being Disney's The Jungle Book (1967). During that theater-going experience, in the summer of '85, I was captivated by the energy, the humor, the thrills, the music, the characters, and the story of a group of lovable outsiders searching for treasure and avoiding many dangers along the way.
I love this movie! It was the catalyst for my lifelong love of movies. And how could it not? The Goonies has everything... wise-cracking kids, pirate's treasure, hilariously buffoonish criminals (Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, and Anne Ramsey), slick Wiley E. Coyote-esque gadgets courtesy of the ingenious Data (Ke Huy Quan), Rube Goldberg-esque traps, a water slide, skeletons, Baby Ruth candy bars, Rocky Road ice cream, and the bonds between brothers and friends that make adventures like these so much more fun.
Steven Spielberg's fingerprints are all over this one and along with Richard Donner's expert direction, and Chris Columbus' delightfully goofy, funny, exciting, and yet touching, script we get one of the best, if not the most entertaining, quotable, and memorable films of the '80s.
On this passed Labor Day (9/2/19), I took my mom to see The Goonies on the big screen like she did for me 34 years ago. It was a wonderful experience and it was my way of saying "Thank You" to her for showing me just how magical, important, and life changing movies can be. We had the best time cheering, laughing, and applauding one of our favorite movies. It's an experience I'll never forget.
If you haven't seen The Goonies then do yourself a favor and see this movie immediately. It's not to be missed! It's also the perfect transition movie for when kids are getting older and start to realize that there is much more out there to entertain than the standard animated fare. And, much like this one did for me, it might start a young person's interest in the movies. Kids movies don't have to be "kiddie", they can be adventurous, thrilling, sweet, scary, silly, and wholly satisfying. The Goonies is a timeless adventure story that is often imitated, but never duplicated. It's one of the greats and will live on forever because as fans of this flick know..."Goonies never say die!"
Fun Fact: According to Sean Astin, he was allowed to keep the treasure map used in the film. Several years later his mother Patty Duke discovered it, thought it was just a crinkled piece of paper, and threw it in the trash.