Stand by Me (1986)

Stand by Me parents guide

What we could confirm fits an R: some violence and frequent strong language.

Scare

Mildly scary

A few tense or eerie moments.

Jump scares

None noted

Gore

Light gore

Some blood or injury, briefly.

Violence

Some violence

Some fighting or peril.

Sex and nudity

None flagged

It is rated R, so treat our zero as unconfirmed.

Language

Strong

Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Stand by Me scary?

Only a little. Stand by Me has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

How gory is Stand by Me?

Light gore and some violence.

What is Stand by Me rated, and is it OK for kids?

Rated R, and it earns it: frequent strong language. Not one for kids.

What is Stand by Me about?

After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four boys decide to go see the body. Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, but they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

Cast and crew

More like Stand by Me

• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)Gritty · comfort watch · strong violence · emotionally devastatingAn innocent man's integrity and unquenchable hope shine through decades of gritty prison life.
• The Green Mile (1999)Melancholy · full attention · strong violence · graphic goreOn death row, a gentle giant's miraculous gift brings both healing and profound melancholy to a gritty prison.
• Forrest Gump (1994)Wholesome humor · nostalgic · comfort watch · strong violenceA simple man's extraordinary journey through history unfolds, chasing a love that always feels just out of reach.
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)Dry wit · gritty · full attention · strong violenceA grieving mother's darkly comedic quest for justice ignites a small-town war with measured, gritty suspense.
• The Godfather (1972)Gritty · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreA crime family saga unfolds with measured, gritty suspense, building an epic and melancholy atmosphere.
• Thelma & Louise (1991)Gritty · date night · strong violence · emotionally devastatingTwo friends on a weekend getaway find liberation and resilience as their adventure turns into a life on the run.
• The Godfather Part II (1974)Gritty · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreA crime family's epic saga unfolds with melancholy, as a son expands the empire his father built.
• A Bronx Tale (1993)Gritty · date night · strong violence · emotionally heavyA young man navigates loyalty and love, caught between his honest father and a charismatic crime boss.

Stand by Me is on our Melancholy, Coming of age, Road trips, Under 90 minutes and 1980s lists.

More like this feeling

Prompts we typed into CouchRot, and the lists that share its tags.

• “a movie that will make me cry”
• “a thriller with a twist, no spoilers”
• “funny but not stupid, under two hours”

Lists with the same feel: Comfort watches and Dark.