Good Boys

Directed by: Gene Stupnitsky

Runtime: 89 minutes

Back in March I wrote a Trailer Talk discussing my opinions on one of the initial trailers for Good Boys where I laid out my excitement and expectations for the flick. Flash forward six months later with the film on the verge of release and me in the middle of a shit week, I got the chance to check it out. Did the film stack up to my initial expectations? Was the film able to make me laugh and take my mind off everything during this tough time? Should I really be asking simple questions that are answerable with one word at the beginning of my review?

Good Boys sees a group of three friends, who after beginning sixth grade are invited to their very first life-changing kissing party⁠—but, after initiating a chain reaction of bad fortune which could lead them to be grounded and unable to attend said life changing party, have to set off on an adventure to try and fix the mess they have got themselves into. If this story sounds at all familiar that’s because it is. Good Boys is effectively the 12-year-old equivalent of Superbad. Mirroring its predecessor in themes and story beats there are many moments that call back directly to the cult classic. In different hands this could have gone very wrong very easily but, thankfully, director Gene Stupnitsky was able to pull it off.

The film is moulded well to replicate its predecessor’s successful formula, but in its own fashion. Being that we aren’t dealing with teenagers, the film has to gear its jokes and story more towards its younger cast. Because of this, Good Boys manages avoid feeling stale despite its similarity to Superbad. The film itself does suffer from some pacing issues⁠—namely in the first act as it speeds through its set up, and because of this we aren’t able to really understand or empathise with our main characters as much as we might have. Once Good Boys is in full stride, though, these issues fade into the background⁠—only reappearing briefly through the remainder of the film’s runtime.

All three of the film’s leads⁠—Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon⁠—put in solid performances. There are a few instances where lines feel a bit forced or delivered in an odd fashion, but this can mostly be excused due to the actors’ young ages. Quasi-villains of the flick Molly Gordon and Midori Francis provide great performances, emulating two teenagers trying desperately not to have their meticulously planned night out ruined. One thing that isn’t an issue but did surprise me is the overall lack of big names or even cameos: we get one from the fantastic Stephen Merchant, but other than that there’s a striking lack of star power to be seen. I would have thought producer Seth Rogen would have found a way to insert himself, but alas no. Still, the whole cast puts in their utmost to make every punchline and funny circumstance land, and I can’t think of any instances where a joke didn’t manage to incite a round of laughter in the cinema.

So after a garbage week, did Good Boys manage to meet my expectations and accomplish taking my mind off my own real-world problems? Yes, it did. With some excellent one-liners, absurd situations, and a very cute cast and story, Good Boys was a welcome distraction for ninety minutes. That’s what you want from films like this, to laugh and be distracted from the crappy world we live in, and Good Boys delivers exactly that.