"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

The older version of Gordie starts off by telling the story of how he and his three friends found a dead body. The flashback of all of them as 12 year old boys starts with them already being in a very close friendship. The way they talk to each other, very relaxed and not thinking about what to say, you can tell that they already know each other for quite a while.
When you are twelve you do not really know what serious things will expect you when you are older and I especially remember the summers when I was younger, where I lived each day without thinking about the next, and I think that is what Gordie and his friends did. The idea of finding a dead body would seem ridiculous when you are older, but when you are still a child you do not think about any consequences and just do it.

In your childhood you go through many changes and experiences that influence the outcome of you as a person. Especially their relationship to their dads is a main topic and something they seem to worry about. Their dads are their biggest role model even though they do not have the best impact on their sons. Gordie's dad blames him for staying alive and thinks he should be dead instead of his brother and Teddy's father is know as being a 'loony'. Still they are both defending their dads because they are a big influence on their childhood.

The film gives a great impression of how it feels to be young and enjoy your childhood. Thinking about my younger siblings, who grow up with social media and smartphones, I feel very sorry for them for not experiencing such great adventures.