_**A teen drama with artistic sensibilities set in mid-60s Oklahoma, told through the eyes of a sixteen year old**_ Around Tulsa in 1965, tensions escalate between the Greasers (young people from disadvantaged backgrounds) and the Socs (those who are wealthier), following the death of a gang member. The Greasers, including C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio, are believed to be responsible and leave town, but strangely become seen as heroes. Matt Dillon appears in a supporting role, alongside a cast that includes Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, and Leif Garrett. “The Outsiders” (1983) was one of two films Francis Ford Coppola made consecutively, both adapted from young-adult novels by S.E. Hinton. This film proved profitable at the box office, unlike “Rumble Fish” (1983), which was even more experimental but didn't find an audience. Hinton started writing “The Outsiders,” her most well-known novel, in 1965 when she was sixteen, drawing from two rival groups at Will Rogers High School, located about 2.5 miles west of downtown. I mention this because the film really feels like a heightened story seen through the lens of adolescence. Even ordinary things, such as going to a movie theater or confronting your rivals in a park—where someone foolishly brings a switchblade to a fight—are portrayed as matters of life and death. This is why some dismiss it as “the cheesiest and corniest movie ever.” However, you have to adjust yourself to the style to appreciate it. Think about what was important to you when you were in your mid-teens and how a disagreement or breakup could feel like the end of the world; this film manages to capture that feeling accurately. The original theatrical version has a runtime of 1 hour, 31 minutes, while the 2005 Director’s Cut is 23 minutes longer and features additional music. Filming took place in the Tulsa area. GRADE: B-/B

Source on TMDB