mdtinney's Movie Review of The Outsiders (1983)

Fantastic story that screams realism.
mdtinney - wrote on 09/06/09

"The Outsiders" is one of my all-time favorite movies. The cinematography is beautiful, the score gorgeous, the acting excellent, and the writing -- the most important part of any movie that isn't a musical or a travelogue -- first rate. Put that all together -- with emphasis on the writing -- and it adds up to an extremely entertaining film. And that is what I want from a movie: entertainment, the opposite of boredom. The great thing about "The Outsiders" is that it not only entertains, but it does so in every area. I'll start with the cinematography. That isn't something that I normally think about when I see a movie. Here, however, I couldn't not think about it. Nowhere else have I seen such rich and vibrant landscapes, such exquisite multi-colored sunsets, and even such effective use of shadow and darkness to portray the grittiness of the city. The individual scenes themselves, combined with the interesting contrast between the city and country shots, keep one's eyes glued to the screen.
The score isn't quite so gripping, but it is powerful, nonetheless. The main song, "Stay Gold," sung by Stevie Wonder, is beautifully and painfully sentimental. And the true score itself is lovely and helps to keep one's emotions at high tension during this emotion-rich film. Regarding the acting, this all-star cast picked from the young Hollywood of the early 1980s is so formidable that even the great, though admittedly not well-known, Tom Cruise is relegated to a minor part. As for the leads, C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio are especially good. While Howell unfortunately ended up as the king of straight-to-video flops, he is excellent here as the sweet and sensitive Ponyboy Curtis, a smart but poor 14-year-old who is caught between the worlds of the haves and the have-nots. Macchio also turns in a fine performance as Ponyboy's friend Johnny Cade. His southwestern accent is so good you'd think he was actually from Oklahoma. Of course it really all comes down to the writing, and "The Outsiders" most definitely scores here as well. The story pulls you in from the beginning and never lets you go. And the dialogue, even the unimportant small talk, is incredibly natural. This is especially true in a scene involving a haircut. This movie was a stepping stone for a handful of actors and one actress.. Diane Lane.. This movie is a must see.