Movie Reviews: Good Boys

Good Boys is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Gene Stupnitsky, in his directorial debut, and written by Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. The film stars Jacob Tremblay, Keith Williams, and Brady Noon as three sixth-graders who find themselves involved in a series of misadventures as they try to attend a party hosted by their popular classmates. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg serve as producers through their Point Grey Pictures banner.

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on August 16, 2019, by Universal Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

Friends Max, Lucas, and Thor enter sixth grade facing their own personal dilemmas: Max has a crush on classmate Brixlee, Lucas learns his parents are getting divorced, and persistent teasing from his peers is discouraging Thor from pursuing his love of singing. When presented with the opportunity to kiss Brixlee at a party hosted by popular student Soren, Max uses his father’s valued drone to spy on his neighbor Hannah in an attempt to learn proper kissing. The plan goes awry and results in the drone being destroyed and Max, Lucas, and Thor in possession of Hannah’s ecstasy. To avoid getting grounded, the three boys head off to buy a new drone at the local mall, with Hannah and her friend Lily in pursuit.

Amid a series of escapades, Max, Lucas, and Thor reach the mall, but learn that Hannah and Lily bought the drone and will only give it to the boys in exchange for their drugs. Having given the ecstasy to a police officer, the boys successfully obtain new drugs from Hannah’s ex-boyfriend Benji and trade them for the drone. Nevertheless, Max’s father learns Max used his drone after Max damages his home’s interior by trying to fly the new drone into the house, and Max is grounded. An argument ensues between the friends and the three go their separate ways, although Max takes the blame for what transpired to prevent Lucas and Thor from getting in trouble. When Lucas speaks to his parents about the potential end of his friendships, they advise him that he, Max, and Thor are growing apart from each other.

That night, Lucas convinces Max to sneak out to attend the party, also tricking Max and Thor into seeing each other again in the process. Max successfully kisses Brixlee while Lucas and Thor reencounter Hannah and Lily, the latter being revealed as Soren’s sister, who encourage Thor to continue his passion for singing. In the ensuing weeks, Thor lands the role of Stacee Jaxx in the school’s production of Rock of Ages, Lucas joins the school’s anti-bullying troop, and after his relationships with Brixlee and then her friend Taylor end in heartbreak, Max begins dating his classmate Scout. Following a performance of the school musical, Max, Lucas, and Thor reunite and resume their friendship.