The Goonies

By VARIETY STAFF

Amblin. Director Richard Donner; Producer Richard Donner, Harvey Bernhard; Screenplay Chris Columbus; Camera Nick McLean; Editor Michael Kahn; Music Dave Grusin; Art Director J. Michael Riva
 
Sean Astin
Josh Brolin
Jeff Cohen
Corey Feldman
Kerri Green
Martha Plimpton
 

Territory is typical small town Steven Spielberg; this time set in a coastal community in Oregon. Story is told from the kids' point-of-view and takes a rather long time to be set in motion.

Brothers Mikey (Sean Astin) and Brand (Josh Brolin) are being forced to leave their home because land developers are foreclosing on their house to build a new country club. The boys are joined by compulsive eater Chuck (Jeff Cohen) and mumbling Mouth (Corey Feldman) for one final adventure together.

Searching through the attic holding museum pieces under the care of their curator father, the boys uncover a pirate treasure map. Sidetracked only temporarily by the nefarious Fratelli family (Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey), the boys begin their fairy tale treasure hunt.

The pirate One-Eyed Willie, it seems, was no one's fool; he left a deadly obstacle course to the treasure.

Linking the kids together is their identification as 'Goonies', residents of the boondocks. Handle apparently imbues them with a mystical bond and idealized state of grace.

(Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1985. Running time: 111 MIN.