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Good Boys
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Exceedingly raunchy comedy has heart, but it's not for kids.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Good Boys
Community Reviews
Based on 75 parent reviews
Feels exploitative of the young actors.
It’s alright.
What's the Story?
In GOOD BOYS, best friends Max (Jacob Tremblay), Lucas (Keith L. Williams), and Thor (Brady Noon) -- also known as the Beanbag Boys -- have just entered the sixth grade. Max has a huge crush on Brixlee (Millie Davis) and is thrilled and terrified to be invited to a "kissing party" that she'll also be attending. Determined to learn how to kiss, the boys ditch school and take out Max's father's drone to spy on two teen girls, Hannah (Molly Gordon) and Lily (Midori Francis), but they lose the drone. While trying to get it back, Thor steals Lily's purse, which, unbeknownst to the boys, has illegal drugs in it. When both the drone and the drugs are lost, the boys must go on a journey to replace both, avoid being grounded, and make it to the party in time for the kiss.
Is It Any Good?
A sixth grade version of Superbad, this comedy walks some shaky territory, but the naïve quality of the boys crossed with the broad, goofball, vulgar humor makes for a surprisingly sweet story. Co-produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Good Boys deliberately walks in Superbad's footsteps (Rogen and Goldberg wrote that movie), but the twist is that the Beanbag Boys really don't know much about the world, and the chasm between their imagination and reality creates quite a few pretty good jokes. It's definitely shocking to see and hear such young kids swearing and talking about sex and drugs, but it's all actually a part of learning how to grow up and belong.
The three boys make a great squad, teetering between playing kids' games and jumping headlong into the adult world (Stranger Things tackles similar, painful themes). They're interested in forbidden, grown-up things like sex and alcohol, but find them strange, shocking, and abhorrent when they actually come into contact. Better still, when they have a knockdown, drag-out argument, it ends with all three of them in tears. Though they try to act a certain way, they are actually totally unfiltered, and refreshingly honest because of it. Good Boys isn't a movie for kids, perhaps not even high schoolers, but it's for anyone who ever navigated the pitfall-laden labyrinth that's the end of childhood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Good Boys' depiction of alcohol and drugs. Are these things made to look cool or glamorous? How so? Are there consequences for using them?
Is it shocking to hear and see young boys swearing and talking about sex and drugs? Why? Is it too soon for them to know about these things?
How strong is the movie's violence? Is it cartoonish, or realistic? Is it shocking, or does it make you cheer? How does the movie achieve this effect?
Have you ever been to a kissing party? Was it uncomfortable? Memorable? Is it a necessary rite of passage, or is it wrong?
How does the movie compare to Superbad? How do both movies depict growing up and possibly growing apart from childhood friends?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 16, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: November 12, 2019
- Cast: Jacob Tremblay , Brady Noon , Keith L. Williams , Will Forte
- Director: Gene Stupnitsky
- Inclusion Information: Black actors
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong crude sexual content, drug and alcohol material, and language throughout - all involving tweens
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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