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The Outsiders

Play trailer Poster for The Outsiders PG Released Mar 25, 1983 1h 31m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
A teen gang in rural Oklahoma, the Greasers are perpetually at odds with the Socials, a rival group. When Greasers Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Macchio) get into a brawl that ends in the death of a Social member, the boys are forced to go into hiding. Soon Ponyboy and Johnny, along with the intense Dallas (Matt Dillon) and their other Greaser buddies, must contend with the consequences of their violent lives. While some Greasers try to achieve redemption, others meet tragic ends.
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The Outsiders

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Critics Consensus

The cracks continue to show in Coppola's directorial style, but The Outsiders remains a blustery, weird, and fun adaptation of the classic novel.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) It's beautifully shot, written and paced, but the cast, really, is the thing. Rated: 4/5 Oct 15, 2021 Full Review Danny Leigh Financial Times The movie is sincerely anguished, sensitive to class. It can also wobble alarmingly. Rated: 3/5 Oct 14, 2021 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian It is a movie with the heartfelt old-fashioned urgency of a Hollywood film from much further back, with the Brat Pack in this film the equivalent of the Dead End Kids who made Angels With Dirty Faces in the 1930s. Rated: 5/5 Oct 14, 2021 Full Review Megan Fisher Loud and Clear Reviews It’s about as realistic a depiction as West Side Story, but Coppola tells the story with a moving sympathy and romance. Jan 11, 2025 Full Review Harry Solomons Loud and Clear Reviews Uniquely and stunningly overdramatic, The Outsiders is turned by Francis Ford Coppola and his cast, against all odds, into an incredibly engrossing picture. Rated: 3.5/5 Jan 8, 2025 Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies The Outsiders - The Complete Novel becomes a stronger film because of Coppola's decision to restore deleted scenes and give the film a new score and soundtrack. Rated: 4/5 Mar 26, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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sauce1974 This movie is timeless. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review Daniel We liked it because it stirred our emotions. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/22/21 Full Review Horror fan 4 A timeless classic with a star studded cast. Tim Treakle Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/23/25 Full Review Axel A I remember watching this back in 6th grade. It was so sad how Johnny died. This is golden. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/16/25 Full Review Joey H. Released on March 25th, 1983 and then rereleased on September 20th, 2005 as the Complete Novel Director’s Cut with 22 minutes of additional footage and a remastered soundtrack; directed by five time Academy Award winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and with a musical score composed by his father Carmine Coppola; this novel to screen adaptation of the acclaimed classic novel by Susan E. Hinton, or S. E. Hinton as she is professionally known by, this film perfectly captures all the excitement, intensity and emotions of youth. Set in Tulsa Oklahoma in the year 1965, teenagers and children are shown in two very different types of societal circles. If you are a Soc, or a Social, you have money, popularity, respect, and a bright future ahead of you. But if you are a Greaser, you grow up on what is considered the wrong side of the tracks and are commonly looked at as hoodlums or gang members with long greasy hair, raggedy clothes and very few expectations to make something out of yourself while secretly hoping that one day you will belong and not be an outcast. This story is beautifully told through the eyes of 14 year old Greaser Ponyboy Curtis. He lives with his two older brothers; Sodapop or Soda who is a high school dropout and works at a DX gasoline station; and Darrel or Darry who has to work full time and has been left in charge of taking care of his brothers after their parents died in an accident some time ago. The three Curtis brothers have a small circle of friends who live in their neighborhood; Steve Randle, who is Sodapop’s best friend and coworker at the DX; Keith “Two-Bit” Matthews, who is the most playful member of the gang and spends his free time chewing tobacco or indulging in alcohol; Johnny Cade, who is the most timid, jumpy and easily frightened member of the group because he comes from a broken home and abusive parents; and lastly is Dallas “Dally” Winston, who has been in more than his fair share of trouble with the law and has spent many times in juvenile hall or jail. One night while attending a movie at the local Drive-In theater, Ponyboy and Johnny become friendly with a pair of Soc girls named Sherrie “Cherry” Valance and Marcia after they convince Dallas to stop picking on and harassing them. The two boys along with Two-Bit offer to escort the girls home after the movie but end up incurring the wrath of their boyfriends Bob Sheldon and Randy Anderson. Later that same night, Bob, Randy and a couple of other Socs come looking for Ponyboy and Johnny intending to teach them a lesson and pick a fight. When the fight turns lethal and tragic, Ponyboy and Johnny are forced to seek help and advice from Dallas and then are forced to go on the run and hide somewhere until it’s safe. The film features a terrific ensemble cast of then up and coming actors: C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy; future Oscar nominee Matt Dillon as Dallas; Ralph Macchio as Johnny; Diane Lane as Cherry; Rob Lowe in his film debut as Sodapop; Patrick Swayze as Darrel; Emilio Estevez as Two-Bit; Tom Cruise as Steve; Glenn Withrow as fellow Greaser Tim Shepard; singer Leif Garrett as Bob; Darren Dalton as Randy; Michelle Meyrink as Marcia; and Tom Waits as Buck Merrill. The film also features a cameo appearance by S. E. Hinton as a hospital nurse, and Francis Ford Coppola’s daughter and future filmmaker Sofia Coppola as a little girl who asks Dallas for some change. The film also features a fantastic original song called Stay Gold, beautifully performed by Stevie Wonder. While the film was only a moderate box office success, grossing $25.7 million from a $10 million budget, it received very positive reviews and numerous accolades and has had a long lasting legacy, ranging from a sequel tv series in 1990; to a stage musical in 2023; to the house used as the Curtis house becoming a museum. This was one of four films to be adapted from a novel by S. E. Hinton during the 1980s and is the most financially successful of the four and the one most remembered. This is not only one of my favorite films but also one of my favorite books. It’s a guilty pleasure for me and I give this film a sold 10 rating and high recommendation. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/11/25 Full Review Aubrey B. I remember learning about the outsiders at school Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/25/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis A teen gang in rural Oklahoma, the Greasers are perpetually at odds with the Socials, a rival group. When Greasers Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Macchio) get into a brawl that ends in the death of a Social member, the boys are forced to go into hiding. Soon Ponyboy and Johnny, along with the intense Dallas (Matt Dillon) and their other Greaser buddies, must contend with the consequences of their violent lives. While some Greasers try to achieve redemption, others meet tragic ends.
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Gray Frederickson, Fred Roos
Screenwriter
S.E. Hinton, Kathleen Rowell
Distributor
Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co
Zoetrope Studios
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 25, 1983, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2009
Runtime
1h 31m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround
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