--- title: "The Goonies" year: 1985 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-goonies" fi1m_id: "the-goonies" imdb_id: "tt0089218" tmdb_id: 9340 wikidata_id: "Q636043" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 10 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:36.661599+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Goonies (1985) Directed by Richard Donner · 1h 54m · MPA PG · Adventure, Comedy, Family ## Identity The Goonies - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-goonies - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-goonies - **IMDb ID:** tt0089218 - **TMDB ID:** 9340 - **Wikidata ID:** Q636043 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089218/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9340, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q636043 **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 71 from 10 reviews *In a sentence:* A treasure map turns out to be a terrible way of getting the children to settle down > Richard Donner’s treasure hunt is good, noisy fun, carried by children impatient to get on with it. The pacing wobbles and the shouting wears, but the caves and the cast reward a little tolerance. ## Synopsis Mikey (Sean Astin) and his friends find a map that sets them searching for pirate treasure. The hunt leads towards secret caves and booby traps, with the Fratelli family providing a more immediate threat. Joining the adventure are Brand (Josh Brolin), Chunk (Jeff Cohen), Mouth (Corey Feldman), Data (Ke Huy Quan), Andy (Kerri Green) and Stef (Martha Plimpton). Richard Donner directs this family adventure from a story by Steven Spielberg and a screenplay by Chris Columbus, in which a group of children must find their own way past the traps and the grown-ups. ## Review *The Goonies* is a good children’s adventure with a noise problem, and Richard Donner deserves credit for knowing which part matters more. Working from Steven Spielberg’s story and Chris Columbus’s screenplay, he treats a treasure hunt as something children might throw themselves into without stopping to consider how unlikely it all is. The map, caves and traps supply plenty to be getting on with. What keeps us interested is the sense that this particular group would make just as much fuss about an ordinary afternoon. Sean Astin gives Mikey an earnestness that the film needs more than another joke. He takes the hunt seriously, with none of the knowing amusement that might reassure adults while spoiling things for the children. We grew fond of this lot even while wishing they would stop shouting, largely because Astin makes their excitement easy to share. Corey Feldman’s Mouth and Jeff Cohen’s Chunk help Donner maintain the impression of a group that has never agreed on who should be allowed to speak. J. Michael Riva’s production design gives the caves enough substance to make the children’s excitement persuasive. Their corners and depths keep us looking beyond whoever happens to be speaking. Nick McLean’s cinematography makes good use of that space without letting the setting overwhelm the young cast. We can enjoy the scale of the adventure and still read the faces that tell us how frightening it feels. Michael Kahn’s editing has the less grateful job of turning all this activity into a story with some breathing room. The opening takes longer to get moving than it should, and once the hunt is under way the rush can make one predicament blur into the next. Dave Grusin’s score supplies an eager sense of discovery, but the music has to compete with a film already crowded with voices and incident. A few quieter stretches would make the danger more effective and the jokes easier to enjoy. Columbus is better at giving the group a collective personality than making every member equally interesting. Ke Huy Quan’s Data registers quickly, while Kerri Green’s Andy and Martha Plimpton’s Stef get less to establish them beyond their place in the gang. Anne Ramsey, as Mama Fratelli, makes a useful counterweight: a grown-up menace broad enough to suit the adventure without making danger seem entirely pretend. The children need someone to be afraid of, and Ramsey understands the value of being disagreeable. As a family adventure, the film is unusually willing to let its children be exasperating. Donner allows their impatience and noise to remain part of their appeal, rather than tidying everyone into exemplary little explorers. Some of the plotting feels arranged to deliver another obstacle at precisely the required moment, and the warmth can be pressed too hard. Yet the treasure hunt gives its young characters something to do beyond waiting for adults to explain the next step. At 114 minutes, it asks for a little more patience than its young adventurers tend to show. It carries a PG, though the traps and threatening adults may still trouble children who dislike being frightened. For those already eager to follow a map underground, there is enough here to justify the occasional test of endurance. Take the noise seriously as a caveat, especially if the evening is meant to calm the household down. *Fi1m score 76, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find The Goonies a likeable, energetic children’s adventure whose appeal extends to adults. Praise centres on the young cast: the children seem resourceful, recognisably childlike and capable of making the treasure hunt matter despite its far-fetched turns. The elaborate sets and underground photography also earn approval, giving the adventure scale and visual excitement. Several reviews value its warmth and humour, finding that it takes its young audience seriously without losing its taste for the ridiculous. The disagreement is substantial, ranging from enthusiastic affection to outright irritation. Reservations concern a manufactured story, predictable plotting and excitement that can feel manipulative rather than earned; even some favourable reviews find the pleasures short-lived. Variety finds the opening slow before the treasure hunt gets going. Time Out is the sharpest dissenter, treating the children’s constant screaming and the heavy sentimentality as liabilities where warmer reviews find energy and innocence. ## Straight answers **Is The Goonies worth watching?** *The Goonies* is worth watching for families who want a noisy treasure hunt with children who never stop talking, and we scored it 76. Sean Astin's earnest Mikey and J. Michael Riva's caves reward a little patience, though the opening dawdles and the shouting wears. Choose something else if the evening is meant to calm the household down. **How long is The Goonies, and what is it rated?** *The Goonies* runs 1h 54m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an adventure and comedy film. **Where can I watch The Goonies in the US?** *The Goonies* is streaming on Peacock, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $4.99. It leaves Peacock on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does The Goonies compare to Castle in the Sky?** *The Goonies* is the louder and rougher of the two, while [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky) gives its children the same pursuit of a hidden place with far more room for quiet wonder. Miyazaki's film is the better built and has not dated; Donner's is the one for a gang who want to shout along with the cast. **What should I watch after The Goonies?** After *The Goonies*, try [*Time Bandits*](https://film.one/film/time-bandits) (1981, Fi1m 80): Another map-led adventure, with stranger detours and a sharper distrust of adults. Then [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky) (1986, Fi1m 82): Children pursue a hidden place through danger, with more room for quiet wonder; and [*Hunt for the Wilderpeople*](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople) (2016, Fi1m 82): A mismatched pair head into the wilderness, balancing youthful defiance with gruff affection. ### Reviews we read (12) - **Empire**, William Thomas (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of the most accomplished kids' adventures of all time, praising its crossover appeal, lively script, and elaborate sets that deliver spectacle and fun for all ages. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/goonies-review/) - **The Guardian** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an eminently likable romp that echoes Spielberg’s Indiana Jones films while drawing on British kids’ adventure traditions. They single out its rich air of all-American innocence for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/apr/18/the-goonies-review-indomitable-all-american-innocence) - **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (75/100, inferred): Directed by Richard Donner with Spielberg's story, the film packs every funhouse flourish including crooks, skeletons, and a ghostly pirate ship. It offers breakneck pacing and appealing young characters but has little staying power. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/07/movies/screen-the-goonies-written-by-spielberg.html) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (65/100, inferred): The film mixes Spielberg action ingredients with high-energy kid performances in a fantastical pirate treasure story. It delivers thrills and effects but feels manipulative without the sweetness of E.T. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-goonies-1985) - **Radio Times**, John Ferguson (3/5): A good-natured romp in which a gang of children search for pirate treasure while fending off crooks. The young leads are likeable and the villains provide nice hamming. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-0ixba6/the-goonies/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (55/100, inferred): The story unfolds from the kids' viewpoint in a typical Spielberg small-town setting and takes time to get going before the treasure hunt begins. It features a fairy-tale adventure with booby traps and the Fratelli family as obstacles. [Read](https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/the-goonies-1200426428/) - **Time Out**, DT (30/100, inferred): Seven kids discover a treasure map but face incompetent thieves and over-sentimental parents. The pre-pubescents scream constantly and the finale is overly sentimental. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-goonies) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Arthur Knight: The kids come across as real and childlike, which saves the film despite a manufactured script. Visual excitement stands out, especially the underground cavern sequence and photography. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/goonies-1985-review-800918/) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): The critic calls it original and sometimes bizarre, a timely reminder of what kids’ movies can deliver. They praise its preposterous warmth and the resourceful children battling criminals for pirate treasure. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/the-goonies-1985-review-387c3znl7) - **Collider**, Nico Nico (A+): The critic finds that The Goonies stands the test of time as a beloved adventure that still speaks true tonally. They single out the lightning-in-a-bottle cast, particularly Sean Astin’s heartfelt performance as Mikey. [Read](https://collider.com/the-goonies-25th-anniversary-collectors-edition-blu-ray-review/) - **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (5/5): The critic calls The Goonies a brilliant, iconic 80s action-adventure that is very funny and does not talk down to its audience. They single out the strong transfer and audio mix on the Blu-ray as well as the film's classic scenes and appeal. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-goonies-blu-ray-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Stephen Carty (80/100, inferred): The critic calls Donner's adventure an era-defining film that holds up beyond nostalgia thanks to its lighthearted yet scary and fun tone, skillful direction by Donner, writing by Columbus and producing by Spielberg. Iconic moments and treasure-hunting entertainment keep it engaging for adults and kids alike, though the predictable formula and Cyndi Lauper song slightly detract from five-star status. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-goonies-film-review-by-stephen-carty) ## Details - **Director:** Richard Donner - **Director:** Richard Donner - **Screenplay:** Chris Columbus - **Story:** Steven Spielberg - **Cinematography:** Nick McLean - **Editor:** Michael Kahn - **Music:** Dave Grusin - **Production design:** J. Michael Riva - **Costume design:** Richard La Motte - **Producer:** Harvey Bernhard, Richard Donner - **Cast:** Sean Astin as Mikey; Josh Brolin as Brand; Jeff Cohen as Chunk; Corey Feldman as Mouth; Kerri Green as Andy; Martha Plimpton as Stef; Ke Huy Quan as Data; John Matuszak as Sloth - **Runtime:** 1h 54m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 7 June 1985 - **Genres:** Adventure, Comedy, Family - **Budget:** $19 million - **Box office:** $70 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYLAGAwcpSQ ## Where to watch in the US - Peacock: streaming, uhd, leaving 2026-10-01 - Tubi: free - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd, leaving 2026-10-01 - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Time Bandits* (1981), Fi1m 80: Another map-led adventure, with stranger detours and a sharper distrust of adults — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/time-bandits.md) - *Castle in the Sky* (1986), Fi1m 82: Children pursue a hidden place through danger, with more room for quiet wonder — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky.md) - *Emil and the Detectives* (1931): Children organise themselves against an adult criminal, with brisk humour and proper suspense - *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: A mismatched pair head into the wilderness, balancing youthful defiance with gruff affection — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md) - *The Kid Who Would Be King* (2019): An unruly young group tackles ancient dangers, with friendship doing the difficult work --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-goonies