On O List of Movie Reviews
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The Outsiders (1983)
Rate:
2
Viewed:
12/04, 5/06, 7/13
5/06:
The Outsiders is one of the corniest movies I've ever seen.
What saves it from being rated '1' is Matt Dillon's adorable Oscar-worthy performance as Dallas Winston. Hammy acting,
nonsensical plot, and pure cheesiness dominate the film from start to finish. The monumental fight at the end turns out
to be a big blah because the rain, all of a sudden, starts pouring. It's such a slog to watch.
I always feel a sharp cringe whenever Ralph Macchio or C. Thomas Howell appears, but seeing them both in the same scene is
too much for me to take. Matt Dillon saying the most famous line of the film, "Let's do it for Johnny, man. We'll do it
for Johnny!" still leaves me cracking up. What a hysterical moment. Yet I admit he's perfect for the movie, having starred
in three S.E. Hinton pictures with the other two being
Rumble Fish and Tex.
All in all, a film that's unintentionally full of strong homosexual vibes, The Outsiders is cringeworthy.
7/13:
Having read the book version of The Outsiders, I actually like it more than the movie.
Of course, I visualized all of the characters through the actors except for Sodapop whom I thought more of Emilio Estevez. Rob
Lowe didn't match anyone, and Tom Cruise seemed miscast. Becoming clear for me to see why the film struck a negative
chord with the readers, it only highlighted the pivotal points of the book.
As bad as the movie is, the hammy acting and the high amount of cheesiness are too much. Once again, Matt Dillon
shines, making me forget about the negatives. He, as Dallas Winston, is the only one capable of expressing his
feelings like a human being, making for an endearing character.
All in all, the only reason to see The Outsiders is to appreciate Matt Dillon's Oscar-worthy performance.