Movie Review: The Outsiders
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that THE OUTSIDERS is a film adaptation
of a novel detailing teen gang violence in the 1950s.
Characters drink, smoke, get in fights, harass schoolchildren,
use knives and guns, and commit murder. One character is
severely burned and dies. Additionally, the film deals frankly
with class stratification. Several of the main characters have
troubled home situations.
Families who choose to watch THE OUTSIDERS can discuss class divisions. Why does Cherry tell Ponyboy that she cannot talk to him at school? What makes the division between the socs and the greasers readily apparent? What can explain the origin of the rivalry between the two groups?
Common Sense Media Review
THE OUTSIDERS, Francis Ford Coppola's inspired adaptation of
S.E. Hinton's novel, combines a talented ensemble cast with an
engaging story. The Curtis brothers and their friends run with
a pack of wrong-side-of-the tracks greasers who smoke endless
packs of cigarettes and spend most of their time looking for
trouble. When Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny Cade
(Ralph Macchio) have a run-in with a pack of socs after a
drive-in movie, Johnny stabs one of the socs. At the advice of
their friend Dallas (Matt Dillon) they hide out in an abandoned
church, but a tragic chain of events has already begun to
unfold.
THE OUTSIDERS is in some ways a scare film. Characters suffer for their bad behavior, and occasionally the treatment seems a bit heavy-handed. Coppola's direction is brilliant, as evidenced by his attention to detail. In particular, the soundtrack manages to contribute to the drama without feeling manipulative.
The collaborative work of the young cast also serves as a testament to the director's skill. Coppola even wrenches a convincing performance out of Patrick Swayze as the oldest Curtis brother. As the pretty, popular cheerleader Cherry, Diane Lane manages to avoid coming across as condescending. The real stars of the show, however, are Howell as the sensitive Ponyboy and Dillon as the time bomb Dallas.
Coppola recently released a special edition DVD entitled, The Outsiders - The Complete Novel. The two-disc set features several extras including over 22 minutes of original cut footage, a new soundtrack featuring songs by Elvis Presley, and a news segment piece on the student petition that started it all.
Families who enjoy this film may enjoy other films dealing with 1950s teen culture like Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and the musical West Side Story (1961).
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
