Good Boys

Review by Balti

Release Date

16th August 2019

Should I watch this movie?

Good Boys isn't just a 2019 American coming-of-age comedy; it's a masterclass in turning pre-teen angst into pure, unadulterated hilarity. Join best friends Max, Lucas, and Thor as they stumble through the minefield that is sixth grade, each grappling with their own wonderfully awkward dilemmas: Max’s utterly earnest crush on Brixlee, Lucas’s surprisingly mature take on his parents’ impending divorce, and Thor’s heartbreaking struggle with bullies dimming his love for singing. This film doesn't just promise laughs; it delivers them in spades, with scenes like their frantic "Terminator" chase and their hilariously ill-advised attempt to cross a busy highway leaving you gasping for air between giggles. Be warned, though, this isn't your grandma's coming-of-age story; its penchant for adult humor, especially when the boys inadvertently get involved in the buying and selling of certain adult products they find hidden, will have you practically weeping with laughter. Overall, Good Boys is a gloriously inappropriate, laugh-out-loud riot from start to finish, and absolutely a movie worth watching for anyone who enjoys a truly funny, witty, and slightly scandalous take on growing up.

Main Cast

Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Molly Gordon, Lil Rel Howery and Midori Francis.

Performance

Get ready to be seriously impressed, because Jacob Tremblay as Max, Keith L. Williams as Lucas, Brady Noon as Thor, Molly Gordon as Hannah, and Midori Francis as Lily didn't just act in this film; they delivered performances so outstanding, they practically deserve their own fan club. Their collective brilliance truly shines, especially during that absolutely wild "terminator chase scene," where each actor brought a unique, laugh-out-loud flavor to the high-stakes mayhem: Tremblay's Max masters the art of wide-eyed, yet surprisingly resourceful, panic; Williams's Lucas provides a perfect blend of brave boasts and hilarious, genuine terror; and Noon's Thor is the wonderfully clumsy, often bewildered, but always endearing muscle of the group. Meanwhile, Gordon's Hannah is the queen of exasperated leadership, her perfectly timed eye-rolls and quick thinking being both impressive and genuinely funny, while Francis's Lily is a whirlwind of frantic energy and unexpected heroics, making every frantic dash a pure delight. Honestly, every character was perfectly cast and brilliantly executed, leaving me absolutely desperate to see each one of them in future cinematic adventures!

Production

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky. Written by Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg.

Music & Soundtracks

Music by Lyle Workman.

Facts

Jonathan Furmanski, a director clearly unafraid of cinematic Sisyphean tasks, tackled his biggest challenge with the infamous highway scene, a monumental undertaking that proved less a shoot and more an epic five-day siege of an airport runway. This wasn't just any scene; it was a multi-unit, VFX-laden behemoth, requiring three days of actual filming and two days dedicated solely to the dark arts of stunts and visual effects, because apparently, boys running across a road is far more complex than it sounds. Unable to simply commandeer an actual, inconveniently busy highway, Furmanski and his intrepid crew ingeniously constructed a 300-foot stretch of asphalt on an unused airport runway – a true testament to their "if you build it, they will run (and look like they're in mortal peril)" philosophy. He wisely credited first assistant director Dan Miller and the truly heroic key grip Marc Nolet, who, in a feat of meticulous dedication that borders on the obsessive, drilled tiny washers into the tarmac for every single camera position, ensuring that if a second unit ever needed to replicate the magic, they wouldn't just be guessing where the cinematic gods intended the camera to be. Truly, this scene stands as a monument to Furmanski's vision, proving that with enough talent, tenacity, and a small army of washers and notepads, you can make boys run across a fake highway look utterly magnificent.

The film's visual narrative found its maestro in Jonathan Furmanski, a cinematographer whose prior gigs on Search Party, Inside Amy Schumer, and The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling already hinted at a formidable talent for capturing both the absurd and the profound. It's a delightful pivot, then, to learn that for this particular cinematic endeavor, Furmanski dipped into the wellspring of nostalgic adventure, drawing inspiration from childhood classics like Stand By Me, The Goonies, and E.T. One might initially wonder how a master of observational documentary and sharp sketch comedy would approach a narrative steeped in classic Americana, but his chosen muses suggest a visual language rich with youthful discovery and perhaps a touch of fantastical escapism. Indeed, with Furmanski at the helm, armed with a resume that screams 'talent' and an inspiration board straight out of a Spielbergian dream, the film’s visual journey is undoubtedly in exceptionally good, and delightfully clever, hands.