GOOD BOYS: The New Generation’s Coming Of Age Comedy

When Seth Rogen’s name is attached to a production credit it almost guarantees an outlandish premise and crude humor, and that’s no different with his latest backing, Good Boys. Gene Stupnitsky, who has worked on the beloved television show The Office, makes his feature film debut to capture the story of three young boys in an absurd yet touching cycle of sixth grade.

Good Boys follows Max (Jacob Tremblay), Lucas (Keith Williams), and Thor (Brady Noon), a trio of sixth graders who go by the Bean Bag Boys. With an invitation to go to their first kissing party, the three friends seek to learn exactly how to kiss — but of course, they get mixed up in a handful of shenanigans in the process. 

A comedy set in middle school wouldn’t work without young actors to hold up the torch, and that is the least I could say about the cast. The main cast brilliantly drew me into the buffoonery on screen, and their chemistry shined in this film. The supporting cast of young and adult actors also did a great job at making the jokes work — Will Forte as Max’s dad was especially a treat to watch.

Laughs and F-bombs

Based on the film’s marketing, you probably have a good idea of what you’re getting into when going to see this movie. It can be completely outrageous with its punchlines and completely vulgar in delivery. That said, most jokes make for a good time.

The outlandish humor works because of the kids’ believable naivety, while other jokes work because of the film’s self awareness. When we aren’t being fed over-the-top humor (which is nearly in every minute), we’re given more subtle jokes that relate to drug use and consent — topics that young kids probably wouldn’t be too informed on — which I believe function as counter-jokes to the child-like nature of the protagonists.

If you’re into the crudeness, you’re guaranteed at least a couple laughs, but not all jokes work here. I found myself blank-faced on a few occasions that seemingly wanted to draw chuckles, but just couldn’t quite land. I believe these shortcomings could’ve been improved with different direction.

Potty mouths are also a revolving theme throughout the film, and because of this it can feels like the movie is trying too hard to maintain its edginess. Mixed between the jokes and drama, however, I believe the constant vulgarity only minimally bogged the film down.

Wisdom and Youth

In some ways, the film’s marketing could be misleading; Good Boys is presented as strictly a raunchy comedy — a sub-genre frequented by Rogen — but in actuality it reaches a touching conclusion. The Bean Bag Boys are extremely young, and in that stage of life there is still a lot of change to go through. 

We’re given a number of dirty jokes throughout the film, but there are also heartfelt moments and clear themes about growth. The conclusion of the film may come off as cliché, with many films covering the same topic, but the film uses this as a grounded message to balance out the unrestrained comedy, which it never forgets to do. 

I’ll also commend this film for its runtime; Good Boys sits at about 89 minutes, which is relatively short, and I firmly believe that to be within the perfect range for this type of movie. The jokes never outstay their welcome, and the film isn’t watered down with standard tropes or overdone drama. The runtime ultimately ties the film together to be a fun treat to be enjoyed by a tight audience.

Good Boys: Conclusion

It’s been said time and time again because it’s absolutely true — Good Boys is like Superbad but with middle schoolers. It’s absurd and outrageous, and although sometimes that doesn’t work in favor of the jokes, Good Boys further triumphs as a sweet coming-of-age story. If you enjoy indulging in crude humor (especially that of which is presented by children), then you’ll have a fun time, and even if dark comedy isn’t your thing, you may be moved by the heartfelt evolution of the Bean Bag Boys.

What did you think of Good Boys? How does it stack up against Superbad? Let us know!

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