Sunday, November 17, 2019

[Review] Good Boys


Sixth grade just got a whole lot wilder with Good Boys. Like elementary school itself, this raunchy comedy won’t necessarily rock your locker, but it brings a few fun times, laughs, and growing pains. 

Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon play the trio of friends who call themselves “The Beanbag Boys” (let’s keep it real — they’re in the loser crowd). What transpires is a middle school romp involving a misplaced bottle of Molly, a stolen drone, and a plan to not only make eye contact with a girl — but possibly even kiss one (with consent, of course).

The biggest strength of Good Boys is the great cast of kids and the script’s hilarious dialogue. It captures a certain unfiltered naivety, curiosity, and obliviousness that comes off like an R-rated episode of the hit ‘90s cartoon “Recess” (by the way, I loved that show). The rest of the film is a mixed bag lunch. Some things are welcomed and exciting, and some things might have been better off going in the trash. The film can get a little too edgy, random, and foul-mouthed for its own good, but at least the kids are consistently funny and delightful with what they’re assigned to work with.

Good Boys lands in that awkward stage where it’s a comedy that’s about kids but not for kids, and you begin to wonder what audience it’s truly meant for. It also seems to completely lose its touch with reality along the way, and I can’t help but think it would have been better off going in a different direction. But what saves it from stumbling into a basket of smelly gym socks is its heartfelt portrayal of adolescent friendship. That’s something that we all can get down with. 

( 6.5/10 )

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