Introduction
Good Boys is an adult-rated comedy that blends innocent youth with a wild adventure, released in 2019. Its director, Gene Stupnitsky, directs it for the first time, and takes audiences on a wild ride through the world of three sixth-grade best friends: Max, Lucas, and Thor. The movie masterfully explores their personal dilemmas, budding friendships, and coming-of-age experiences with a mix of heart and humor. Good Boys features an amazing cast, memorable plot twists, and a depth that was unseen, making the film an excellent surprise at the box office with a sum of over $111 million gained worldwide. Here’s an article on the release, cast, plot, songs, reviews, and even much more.
Release Date
Good Boys premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas on March 11, 2019. After its festival success, the film hit theaters eight months later on August 16, 2019, for a run from Universal Pictures. Its theatrical run was a watershed moment for Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s production company, Point Grey Pictures, as the film demonstrated their chops at turning out laugh-out-loud comedies with an unexpected underside of tenderness – coming-of-age stories.
Not to mention, Good Boys is an R-rated comedy, full of vulgar humor and adult situations, with its protagonists young in age. It’s what made the film stand out-a great juxtaposition between child innocence and concepts with maturity on their behalf, which were not so understood by the actors.
Film Location
The film is shot in various locations across British Columbia, Canada – Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Surrey, Langley, and Abbotsford. These locations provided a good backdrop for the suburban setting of the film, thus bringing out the essence of reality and showing the beauty of the region at the same time. The use of these areas adds a sense of authenticity to the film, creating a relatable environment where the everyday struggles of the characters unfold.
Beautiful scenery contrasts sharply with the chaotic, and sometimes absurd, adventure into which the boys are thrust; this also makes the comedies more effective. Filming in Canada also reduced production costs overall and provided a variety of locations to reflect the diverse environments within which the boys’ misadventures unfold in Good Boys.
Song
The soundtrack plays a rather important role in the movie Good Boys for amplifying comedic and emotional moments. There is no specific song that dominates every scene of the movie, but the choice in relation to the mood created is highly worthy of the difference in moods. Lyle Workman, who had worked on a variety of comedy films, composed the score for the movie, which brought about an energetic and fun vibe.
One of the iconic tracks is “Take On Me” by a-ha, which happens when the penultimate scene is unfolding, giving it a nostalgic color while highlighting the mix of childishness and sudden maturity that the film encompasses. The use of music to reflect the emotions of the characters—especially during moments of personal growth—shows the depth of the film’s soundtrack choices. The blend of modern pop, rock, and old hits gives Good Boys an eclectic, yet suitable, flavor that fits within its tone.
Director
Good Boys marks Gene Stupnitsky’s feature directorial debut, although he does not lack for comedic writing experience. With co-writer Lee Eisenberg, he had developed several episodes of the popular comedy series The Office. Experience as a writer helped him succeed in his change-of-direction; he could match just the right amount of humor with sentimental moments for this story of childhood friendships. His sharp comedic timing and the pathos that he can derive from the group of preteens illustrates just how skilled he is.
Stupnitsky does an excellent job in his direction, making the talents of its cast shine while keeping the film fast-paced, with each scene intertwined to keep a second glued to the screen. His choice to go with the chaotic nature of the boys’ adventure but grounded them in relatable emotional experiences is what makes Good Boys out to be, excluding just another adolescent comedy.
Producer
The production of this film is credited to Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Lee Eisenberg, James Weaver, and others. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are also known for being the producers behind some of the greatest comedies, including Pineapple Express, Superbad, and Neighbors. The production house, Point Grey Pictures, symbolizes defying limits in comedy and includes Good Boys in its portfolio.
This is evident in this film with the boys’ ability to make a laugh out of uncomfortable, cringe-worthy situations while balancing it with emotional sincerity. That’s what made Good Boys have its slapstick comedy and heartfelt moments into an audience-critics pleasing film.
Cast
The cast of Good Boys is a major part of what makes the film so endearing. Jacob Tremblay stars as Max, the leader of the trio, who is navigating the complexities of having a crush on a classmate and trying to learn how to kiss. Tremblay, known for his breakout role in Room, shines here with his perfect combination of vulnerability and determination.
Keith L. Williams plays Lucas, Max’s loyal friend who is struggling with his parents’ divorce. Williams adds a layer of depth to his character, balancing humor with the weight of his character’s emotions.
Brady Noon plays Thor, the passionate yet naive friend who loves singing but is too embarrassed to pursue his dream due to bullying. Noon’s portrayal of Thor brings an endearing quality to the film, and his character’s journey of self-acceptance adds a nice emotional arc.
Other notable cast members include:
- Molly Gordonas Hannah, a teenage neighbor who becomes an unexpected accomplice in the boys’ misadventures.
- Lil Rel Howeryas Lucas’ dad, whose reactions to his son’s wild escapades are hilarious and often relatable.
- Midori Francisas Lily, who further complicates the boys’ mission to retrieve the drone.
Together, the cast creates a dynamic that is both funny and relatable, with each actor adding something special to the overall chemistry.
Trailer
The trailer for Good Boys offers viewers a peek into the crazy times of the boys as they try to retrieve a drone, learn about kissing, and stumble into situations well beyond their years. With hilarious moments involving adult content to more touching scenes of the boys in the presence of their friendships, a trailer strikes a perfect balance of humor and heart. It speaks of the film’s obscene nature, but at the same time points to its more profound themes of maturity, relationships, and growing up into this world.
The trailer became a hit immediately for its humor and relatability, drawing in viewers who were eager to see how the naive boys would handle their outlandish situations.
Plot
Good Boys follows Max, Lucas, and Thor-the three best friends entering the tumultuous world of sixth grade. Max is dealing with a crush on his classmate Brixlee, Lucas is dealing with an impending divorce from his parents, and Thor is too shy to pursue his love for singing. Their world turns upside down when Max invites them to a party thrown by the popular student Soren, under the guise of kissing Brixlee.
In their efforts to learn how to kiss, they use Max’s father’s expensive drone to spy on a teenage neighbor, which marks the beginning of a long line of chaotic events. The boys accidentally break the drone and end up with drugs (ecstasy) from which they need to return a new drone for. Off it goes into a rambunctious adventure, where the boys skip school, get chased, and are faced with bullies – all of them learning life lessons as they go along.
In the final resolution, Max, Lucas, and Thor accept their changed lives and relationships. The movie ends on a heart-warming note as the boys make up and renew their bond with each other in the face of obstacle after obstacle.
Reviews
Good Boys was generally positively received for its humor and heart. Reviewers praised the movie over its unexpected emotional depth and breaking of clichéd patterns with R-rated comedies. Particularly well-received were the performances of the young cast, and most mentioned how the actors managed to handle the cruder aspects of the film while making true-to-life and very relatable characters.
Whether the audience is laughing at gag after slapstick joke or holding back tears during emotional displays, Good Boys pushed all the right emotional buttons to make it a box-office hit. Although its jokes are indeed crude, Good Boys was praised for how it depicted friendship, several reviewers noting that the bond between the boys supplied most of the film’s sincere scenes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Good Boys is a superb coming-of-age story full of crude humor and real emotional depth. Directed by Gene Stupnitsky and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, it offers a fresh face for the juvenile comedy genre. It’s filled with a stellar cast, an engaging storyline, and the perfect soundtrack to fit its quirky mood. Good Boys is definitely a must-see for anyone who would like a good belly laugh as well as have a touching story of friendship.
With a perfect mixture of humor and heart, the film is not only a typical teen comedy but a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and complexity in growing up. It’s entertaining from the raunchy jokes to the fun adventure to poignant moments. Good Boys deliver all these aspects extraordinarily to stand alone in the genre.
