The Outsiders Date Read C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio
The rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, only heats up when one gang member kills a member of the other.
I remembered loving The Outsiders when I was younger, being enthralled by both the book and movie counterpart. Unfortunately, as an adult, I think it was just because we got to watch a movie in class.
Considering the fast-paced nature of the book this adaptation dragged. A scene that should have been five minutes went on for twenty. Considering the book is just under 200 pages it gave the impression of padding and found myself fighting the urge to fast-forward. The acting also felt very stilted and forced, almost as if it was a nervous middle schooler having to give a presentation in class. It was all pretty lackluster and gave the impression that little effort went into it.
The film did stay true to the book, so I give it props for that. However, I just don’t think the themes translated well over time.
With Francis Ford Coppola directing and the likes of Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, and, Rob Lowe The Outsiders had all the makes of a sure-fire hit. Sadly, this film did not stay gold and simply missed the mark.
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I never watched this. But, I know there are several shows that I watched and loved when I was younger and now I can’t even tolerate them!
I remember seeing this movie and liking it at the time, mostly, although I felt it was a little over the top at times? I wonder if I’d be disappointed by it now as well. Probably. 🙂