The Outsiders

Set in 1960s Tulsa, The Outsiders follows teenage Greasers who live on the poorer side of town and clash with the wealthy Socs. After a violent altercation leaves one boy seriously hurt, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny go on the run to avoid arrest. As they hide out and try to patch their lives together, their loyalty to each other and to their gang is tested, and their youthful hopes and fears become clearer. The film keeps the focus on friendship, class tension, and the cost of violence without revealing how things resolve.

Released in 1983, the movie was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and adapted from S.E. Hinton's novel, with Kathleen Rowell credited among the creators. Coppola gathered a young ensemble cast and brought the coming of age story from page to screen with a period look and strong emphasis on character.

The film had a noticeable cultural afterlife, especially among teens and schools, where it’s often assigned reading or shown in class. Its young ensemble helped launch several careers, and images of the Greasers, their camaraderie, and a few memorable moments have stuck in pop culture. People still reference the movie when talking about 1980s youth films and class conflict in American cinema.

Critics and audiences generally responded well, reflected in a vote average of 7.2/10 from 1,493 ratings. Reviewers praised the performances of the youthful cast and the way the film handles class divisions, brotherhood, and lost innocence. Themes include loyalty amid hardship, the search for identity, and how violence reshapes lives. The tone mixes tough street reality with sentimental moments, which makes it feel earnest and focused on character rather than spectacle.