“You guys wanna go see a dead body?” Everything is quiet as the attention of Verne’s three friends shift from their previously boisterous activities — smoking cigarettes and playing cards — to his proposition. This may not sound like the beginning to a “coming of age” story, but “Stand By Me” is an enjoyable, if dark, tale of transitioning from childhood innocence to adulthood.
From the film archives: 'Stand by Me' an emotional odyssey for boys