Good Boys
Director Gene Stupnitsky
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Molly Gordon, Lil Rel Howery, Will Forte, Midori Francis
The closest thing to a raunchy comedy has been made about but not necessarily for pre teens, In “Good Boys,” director Gene Stupnitsky, with co-writer Lee Eisenberg,
does for the middle-schoolers what “The Hangover” did for bachelor parties — turn the proceedings into a kind of ride you all want to laugh along with but never want to actually have happen to anyone.
What connects audiences to this film and the three sixth-grade boys spotlighted in it — Max, Lucas, and Thor (Jacob Tremblay, Keith Williams, and Brady Noon) — is that nearly everyone has committed their own childhood foolishnesses. The film stars wonderfully capture such numbskullishness as they try to navigate how their lives shift from being kids to being TEENS!
When they try attending a party hosted by what’s considered the social focus and his crew, this trio runs into one fuck up after another; the misadventures escalates into mishaps with crashing drones, uncovered sex toys and iccky porn scenes. Of course it starts on the dumbest of premises: Max has a chance to kiss his big crush Brixlee at a party hosted by squirelly cool-kid Soren, Max and his friends use his father’s expensive drone to spy on his older teen neighbor in order to see proper kissing. The plan goes awry but the trio snatches Hannah’s vitamin bottle with ecstasy in it. W ith Hannah and her friend Lily in pursuit the three skip school to get another drone at a nearby mall thus avoiding his dad’s wrath.
Of course having comic geniuses Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as producers (through their Point Grey Pictures), meant that this directorial debut would quickly take shape and give form to the crazed storyline while making the underlying inspirational rationale stirring audience guffaws and emotional connections. Rife with opportunities to apply meaningful messages that justify this kind of shit storm scenarios, the director restrains himself until the last third of the film tumbles to its conclusion.
Amid their series of escapades, Max, Lucas, and Thor learn lessons that both renders them life long bond and signs that they will eventually grow apart as they follow their individual paths. And while they have various fall-outs along the way, their reconciliation brings promises to remain in touch throughout life.