At first glance, you might think Good Boys is nothing more than a typical one note studio comedy. Here are three adorable kids that are dropping f bombs. Good thing Gene Stupnitsky delivers a comedy that delivers heart, a message, along with humor in all the right places. Instead of focusing on simply cursing “tweens” Stupnitsky and co-writer Lee Eisenberg focus on a coming of age story with complete understanding of sixth grade, as well as throwing in a kinky plaything here and there or some pornography gags.
Max (Jacob Tremblay), Thor (Brady Noon), and Lucas (Keith L. Williams) are inseparable best friends known as the “bean bag boys.” Not exactly the coolest trio, but that’s until Soren (Izaac Wang) invites Max and his crew to a basement kissing party. The only problem? Non of the kids know how to kiss. In an effort to spy on their sexually active older neighbors, the boys hover Max’s father’s drone above two high school girls (Molly Gordon and Midori Francis). Unfortunately, things go wrong and the boys are carrying drugs around town while trying to buy a new state-of-the-art drone before Max’s dad (played brilliantly by Will Forte) finds out they used it.
Good Boys knows it’s focus is on the honest truths about being an 11-12 year old kid, navigating their way through unfamiliar areas while trying to be viewed as an adult. The gags are great across the board from the small ones such as simply saying certain words incorrectly, or believing a lifelike sex doll is a CPR doll, or even the interactions between the three as they incorrectly discuss tampons. It’s this blind childhood curiosity that helps drive the film and turns it into more than a one note joke. You will instantly remember that time of your life and what was at the time a life altering moment as well as all the embarrassing ones that come with pre-adulthood life.
Good Boys packs a furious punch of outrageous joy (and literally packs a punch), writers Stupnitsky and Eisenberg are having fun while re-exploring that weird time in our lives as well as diving into the idea of growing up, moving on, finding one’s self, and friendships. Yes, this is all in a movie with kids dropping F bombs left and right but the story is never sacrificed for a joke. At moments I couldn’t hear dialogue because the theater was laughing too loud. It’s an unbelievable journey and one that’ll tickle your funny bone each time you watch it.
4 out of 5
