The Outsiders (1983) - 6/10

I’m watching this in 2025 having never seen The Outsiders before. On release many of the cast members were up and coming, but now it’s a veritable who’s who and that does bring a touch of, perhaps unfair expectation. This is directed by Francis Ford Coppola though, so not that unfair. We’re in small town America, 1960s and our cast are immersed in the classic youth culture struggles of street gangs. Our hero’s are Greasers, slicked back hair, leather and denim, delinquent kids, blue collar poor. Their rivals are Socs, with preppy sweaters and money. When the younger Greaser pair of Ponyboy (C.Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Macchio) get roughed up, it seems like an everyday occurrence and one that’s sure to escalate. Ponyboy is a bright kid with his own weight of expectation. His parents gone, his big brothers, Darrel (Patrick Swayze) and Soda (Rob Lowe) are looking after the family, but there’s tension without their parents. Johnny too is feeling isolated, his parents feuding. Both kids are struggling with a lack of structure, but Johnny in particular is close to breaking point. That’s the story in a nutshell, one of teenage tension and uncontrolled emotion. The gangs may provide some structure, but Dallas (Matt Dillon) isn’t much of a role model. Fresh out of jail, quite frankly he’s an arse. He might be part of the hero Greaser group, but he’s not likeable, not through a modern lens, but he’s the first person Ponyboy and Johnny turn to. You see when Ponyboy gets friendly with Soc, Cherry (Diane Lane). Things get out of hand and Johnny cracks, pulls a blade in a fight and he and Ponyboy’s world is turned upside down. Going in you could be fooled for thinking it’ll be all drive-in cinemas and knife fights, but it’s much more low key. Yes there are fights and there is a drive-in cinema, but this is more about kids growing up, struggling to find their voice and sense of belonging. Two-Bit (Emilio Estevez) is the light relief of there is any, but honestly it’s all pretty bleak despite the Americana sheen. Not even seeing Tom Cruise hamming it up as essentially a cartoon cameo role as Steve lightens the mood. He might not have gone on to the glittering career of the others, but Howell does the heavy lifting. Everyone else is pretty one dimensional, but that’s sort of the style. Coppola likes to lean into style, but here it feels like to the detriment of the actors delivery, it does look good though. It has some edge, but not a lot and it’s a bit of a mess. I did hope for more. It’s not a bad film, but with the wealth of talent available, it could’ve been better.

6/10