The Outsiders

I had to read the book in seventh grade and we also watched the movie. I though both of them were fabulous. Francis Ford Coppola has adapted almost every detail of the book into this movie. I thought the acting was great and the plot was good for teenagers, which is the movie's, as well as the book's, target audience. I was surprised on how many stars were in this movie (seven) and it was much better than I thought it would be. It didn't seem cheesy and small but you felt like you were watching a real film. Even though the Greasers seem to be born into undesirable lives, watching this movie makes you want to go back to 1967 in the Southwest and be a Greaser, too. Fabulous movie and perfect for teenagers.

"The Outsiders" is about two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers. It focuses on a young greaser named Ponyboy, and what living the gang life is like for him. Although it has good cinematography and a real good score, the characters speak in accents and lingo that make it a tad bit hard to understand what's happening, and it doesn't help that sometimes the pace is too quick for the film's own good. This results in a movie that may be a bit difficult for people who haven't read the book to understand, although there are probably some who never read the book but understood the movie. If you did read the book, it's a good adaptation. You also feel sympathy and emotion for all of the characters. I recommend that you watch it nonetheless. 7/10.

The Outsiders is my all-time favorite book and I had been waiting for months to rent the movie. When I finally saw it, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. Although the novel is a very fast-moving story, I thought that some of the scenes in the movie went by just a little too fast, and sometimes the music seemed out of place. I also really disliked the trail scene. It was not at all what I was expecting. Some of the acting was poor in some points as well, but overall, I thought the cast did a good job. I thought that Matt Dillon did an outstanding job as Dallas Winston, though.

If you loved S. E. Hinton's book, then I would definitely recommend seeing this, just don't get your hopes up too high. Even if you didn't like the book, although I'm not sure if that is even possible =), I would recommend this movie because of the cast. Even though most of the acting wasn't absolutely incredible, it's fun to see how a lot of big actors (such as Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, and Patrick Swazye) started off their careers.

A terrific tweener for kids of any era. Serious but sweet, and refreshingly free of cynicism.

Godfather Coppola has a real way with family, go figure. But here he keeps the themes and emotions simple. One of the reasons for this story's lasting power is that it was written by a teenager, and so accurately reflects kids' perspective. It would have been very tempting to try and infuse an adaptation with "layers," to comment on the action and show yourself superior, but Coppola exercises great restraint and appropriate respect for the material. He knows it isn't profound stuff, but he understands that it *feels* profound to kids who identify with it. In walking this tightrope, he creates a rare thing: a movie that's for kids but neither talks down to or indulges them.

Lowe, Dillon, Estevez, Howell, Macchio, Garrett, Swayze. Only Cruise and Lane (and Sofia!) seem bigger now than they are here. That, and the 20-some years since, makes The Outsiders all the more poignant.

In the Tulsa area in 1965 the rivalry between the Greasers (poor kids) and the Socs (rich kids) heats up after a gang member is killed. The Greasers supposedly responsible flee the area (C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio), but ironically end up being viewed as heroes. Matt Dillon costars while the notable peripheral cast includes the likes of Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane and Leif Garrett.

"The Outsiders" (1983) was one of two films Francis Ford Coppola shot back-to-back based on SE Hinton's young-adult novels. This one was successful at the box office while the even more artsy "Rumble Fish" (1983) failed to draw an audience.

Hinton began writing "The Outsiders," her most popular novel, in 1965 when she was 16, inspired by two rival gangs at her school, Will Rogers High School, which is about 2.5 miles west of downtown. I bring this up because the movie definitely comes across as an overdramatic tale from the perspective of a teenager. The most mundane, trivial events are presented as life-or-death happenings, like going to a drive-in theater or facing your nemeses at a park where one person idiotically brings a switchblade to a fistfight.

This explains why some people write the flick off as "the cheesiest and corniest movie ever." In its defense, you have to acclimate to it in order to appreciate it. Go back to what was happening in your life when you were in your mid- teens and how a fistfight or breakup was an earthshattering event. The movie captures this very well.

The original theatrical film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, while the 2005 Director's Cut runs 23 minutes longer and includes new music. It was shot in the Tulsa area.

GRADE: B-/B.