Over a long holiday weekend in 1959, four boys who are inseparable friends set out to find a dead body deep in the woods that they've heard rumors about.

In a small woodsy Oregon town, a group of friends--sensitive Gordie, tough guy Chris, flamboyant Teddy, and scaredy-cat Vern are in search of a missing teenager's body. Wanting to be heroes in each other's and their hometown's eyes, they set out on an unforgettable two-day trek that turns into an odyssey of self-discovery.

They sneak smokes, tell tall tales, cuss 'cause it's cool and band together when the going gets tough. When they encounter the town's knife-wielding hoods who are also after the body, the boys discover a strength they never knew they had.