Superbad 2.0
From the first few minutes of Good Boys it becomes very clear that crude humour, sex and drugs are going to be recurring themes in the film. Much like Superbad and American Pie before it, Good Boys tries to sneak into that same comedy genre, with a fun and easy-to-watch tone that does well to keep the laughs flowing throughout. The story starts with three sixth graders who have been friends since Kindergarten; Max, Thor and Lucas. When Max is invited to a kissing party by the cool kids, our trio decide to research all they can about kissing and girls. Instead of choosing the easy route, the boys decide to fly Max’s Dad’s drone up to spy on the neighbours, eventually turning into a crazy adventure involving drugs, sex toys and alcohol as they prepare for an upcoming party. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that Good Boys has been compared to Superbad, especially since Seth Rogen is one of the producers, along with distinct similarities in the story’s structure. Given the characters here are only 12, it’s not everyday that we see a movie where tweens use such a profound amount of crude humour but Good boys manages to handle it quite well, injecting the perfect mix of innocence and ignorance when the kids talk about adult matters. While some of the jokes doen’t always land, the three boys do a great job portraying their characters. Personally, Lucas is the one who steals the show for me. His blend of innocence and great acting ignites his scenes, with an infamous segment involving his dislocated shoulder receiving the biggest laugh of the film from me. It’s not all crude humour and silly jokes though, as Good Boys does include some serious themes discussed during the movie; bullying, drugs, divorce and friendship bonds over the years are all explored in a decent way, but never overpower the comedy. As we go through these changes, we meet new people and it’s very rare to keep the same friends during school years, helping Good Boys to resonate with our own high school experiences. Good Boys might not be for everyone and at times the jokes do feel a bit forced but for most part, the humour is handled well by the talented actors, who help deliver a fun movie that should be enough for anyone looking for a decent coming-of-age comedy.
