Director Richard Donner (“Superman”, “Lethal Weapon”) and screenwriter Chris Columbus (“Gremlins”) came together in the early 1980s to put to screen a story conceived by Steven Spielberg. It was a youthful adventure comedy called “The Goonies”. It finished among the top ten highest grossing movies of 1985 and over time became a popular cult classic.

Produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, “The Goonies” featured a collection of young soon-to-be stars including Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, and recent Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. They come together in what was a spirited and nostalgic slice of 1980s cinema that is still a lot of fun after nearly 40 years.

While I’ve never held “The Goonies” in as high regard as its most ardent fans, there’s a certain ‘turn back the clock’ charm that makes it such a joy to revisit. You see it in the cast, the screenplay, the style of filmmaking, and even the little period details such as the pull-tab Pepsi cans, getting a high score on “Pole Position”, and of course the catchy chorus of Cyndi Lauper’s pop hit “Good Enough”. There’s a sentimental transporting effect it has that may make me sound like a sap but I really don’t care.

All the action, adventure, and humor is built upon a simple yet endearing narrative frame. In sleepy Astoria, Oregon four rambunctious boys who call themselves “the Goonies” gather for their last weekend together. The local bank is set to foreclose on their homes to make room for a new country club and golf course. For Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin) and his family that means packing up and moving away. But first he has a couple of days left to spend with his neighborhood friends, the fittingly named Mouth (Cory Feldman), the aspiring inventor Data (Ke Huy Quan), and the klutzy Chunk (Jeff Cohen).

While rummaging through the Walsh family’s attic the boys discover something unexpected among Mikey’s father’s things – a Spanish treasure map dating back to 1632 that is connected to a local pirate legend named One-Eyed Willy. That gives Mikey an idea. What better way to spend their last weekend together than on an adventure to find the dead pirate’s treasure? And who knows, if they do find Willy’s loot maybe Mikey can get the bank off his parents’ backs and save their home.

So the four pals give Mikey’s big brother Brand (Josh Brolin) the slip and follow the treasure map to an old abandoned restaurant on the coast just outside of town. But they quickly discover they aren’t the only ones at the ramshackle joint. It’s actually the hideout of the notorious Fratelli’s, a trio of wanted criminals consisting of the surly Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) and her two nincompoop sons, Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi). There’s a third Fratelli son – the deformed and abused Sloth (John Matuszak) who’s kept shackled in a cell.

Before long Mikey, Data, Mouth, and Chunk are joined by Brand, a cheerleader named Andy (Kerri Green) who Brand has eyes for, and Andy’s best friend Stef (Martha Plimpton). Their search leads them deep below the old restaurant where all sorts of dangers await. Meanwhile hot on their heels are the Fratellis who take an even bigger interest in catching the Goonies once they hear that treasure is involved.

As you watch you can’t help but see Spielberg’s fingerprints all over the movie. Yet it’s Donner who holds it all together. The late director spoke candidly about the joys and challenges of working with so many high-energy child actors. And there are times where both overflow into the movie. But Donner does a good job corralling and getting the most out of his young yet rowdy talent.

After all these years there remains a time-tested appeal to “The Goonies”. This sassy and hyperactive romp can be a bit too loud and boisterous (something that has stood out more and more the older I get). But it’s hard not to respond to the heartfelt innocence and childlike charms that seep from nearly every pore of this beloved movie. And even if I don’t hold it in as high esteem as some, I can’t deny that it still brings a smile to my face every time I turn it out.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS