Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Goonies’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

If there’s one thing that unfortunately fades from our minds as we grow older, it’s our thirst for adventure, at least, in the traditional sense. Because growing up, we wanted to achieve every single goal imaginable, and travel to every corner of the world (or space if you’re like me) because…why not? The world and the universe was ours for the taking and while some find a way to still make that happen as they get older, most of us trade in the grander goals for different kinds of adventures, like parenthood or becoming the absolute best in a career field that excites us in ways we never thought possible.
 
But, while that grander sense of adventure fades over time, little things here and there remind us of it and send our spirits soaring as we reflect upon that simpler time and for me, cinema is something that can achieve just that. Because guys like Indiana Jones remind me of a time when I wanted nothing more than to be an explorer. But of the many films out there that re-ignite the joys of our youth, there’s only one that truly encapsulates that sense of adventure all while reminding us exactly what it was like to be a kid and recently, while I was sick on the couch with whatever crud is going around, that particular film popped up on cable, allowing for me to revisit the wonder of The Goonies.
 
Now this is a motion picture that one would expect to be lost to the sands of time. Because it is severely dated in its look and its feel since this sucker is a true 80’s film through and through, but people simply love this film and any time I get into a discussion with anyone about this movie, a smile instantly crosses everyone’s faces because of the joy that it brings all of us, and it is what generates that joy that I would like to spend time talking about today because after having the chance to revisit it after several years of it sitting on my shelf gathering dust, it’s finally becoming clear to me why this movie has such staying power and why it’s regarded as such a classic. 

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First and foremost, this is that rare story where the kids truly play the heroes. They’re not victims, they’re not weak, this is a group of full of smarts and unique talents and let’s be honest, there’s something incredibly compelling about that for those of us who grew up with this motion picture. Because when we were kids, there were adults that looked down upon us and frowned upon our dreams and our hopes and our energy, so I distinctly recall that growing up, seeing a group of kids be able to achieve wonders and prove adults wrong was extremely inspiring to say the least and well, the relatability of this film doesn’t end there.
 
Because for us nerdy kids, the ones who were sometimes ostracized and ignored since this came out before being nerdy was cool, The Goonies were people to look up to. They did incredible things in this film, they worked together and accepted one another and of course, they found freaking buried treasure and that sense of adventure is what truly makes this film so magical because let’s be honest…that’s what all of us wanted to do growing up. We wanted to be just like these guys and gals and stumble upon something wonderous and save the day and really, this film speaks to the wonder of a kid’s imagination and its simplicity and genuine presentation are other elements that helps it endure the test of time.
 
If anything, for me, this movie simply spoke to my soul when I was growing up and while it doesn’t quite inspire me like it did back then, it certainly plasters a smile onto my face now. Because damnit, this is just a great movie. It’s fun, it’s filled with incredible moments and even though I’ve seen it a jillion times, I still get lost in the quality writing and the grand adventure and perhaps the biggest treat of all when it comes to my most recent viewing, is the fact that I discovered it also carries a message for the audience that’s applicable at any age. Because ‘Goonies never say die’, is straight up, a reminder to never give up, on anything in life since The Goonies’ push to keep going yielded everything they could have ever asked for and that’s a fine message to find in any film to say the least. 

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