Good Boys
2/4
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Molly Gordon, Midori Francis
Rated R for Strong Crude Sexual Content, Drug and Alcohol Material, and Language Throughout - All Involving Tweens
I was not looking forward to this movie. Anything involving Seth Rogen is something I avoid, or at least go into with a sense of resignation. If I wanted to watch two hours of rampant misogyny and homophobia, I'd turn on an interview with Trump and Pence. Fortunately, Rogen and bro Evan Greenberg are just executive producers. They're names on the poster. Neither is credited with writing or directing, and to my relief, Rogen does not show up on screen. So there are no endless riffs on whatever scares him or threatens his sexuality (women, gay men, growing up...you get the idea) and I didn't spend 90 minutes wishing he'd get swallowed by a black hole (although we'd probably still hear whatever riff he is ranting about for all eternity. So where does that leave "Good Boys?"
In a pretty standard position as far as comedies go. It's good for a few yuks and gross out moments, but the stiff performances and weak writing limit the heart-tugging moments that co-writer/director Gene Stupnitsky is going for. "Good Boys" wants to be an R-rated cross between "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Stand By Me," but it plays more like a wannabe.
Max (Tremblay), Lucas (Williams) and Thor (Noon) are best friends. They do everything together. Max gets invited to a kissing party by the cool kids and doesn't want to mess up first kiss with his crush Brixlee (Millie Davis). So the three of them decide to do some research to prepare. This leads to a raunchy journey that includes a broken drone, a few ecstasy pills, and a fight with some frat boys.
"Good Boys" has two problems: one, the acting isn't very good, and none of the actors seem to understand what they are saying. Working with child actors is something that troubles more than a few filmmakers, and Gene Stupnitsky is apparently one of them. The acting by the kids is universally stiff and occasionally shrill. Keith L. Williams has some good one-liners but occasionally doesn't seem to be at home saying them. Brady Noon comes closest to creating an actual character. Macaulay Culkin wannabe Jacob Tremblay is flat.
The film isn't devoid of humor. Just when things start to get dead, a successful one-liner lands. There's also a hilarious scene in a gas station, and the escapade with the frat boys is almost as funny. But the film lacks a vested interested. I didn't care about the boys or their problems. Towards the end, the film contains a message about growing up and growing apart, but it feels contrived. No one is going to have a sense of nostalgia after seeing this movie. Actually, no one who sees this movie is going to remember it. Myself included.
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Molly Gordon, Midori Francis
Rated R for Strong Crude Sexual Content, Drug and Alcohol Material, and Language Throughout - All Involving Tweens
I was not looking forward to this movie. Anything involving Seth Rogen is something I avoid, or at least go into with a sense of resignation. If I wanted to watch two hours of rampant misogyny and homophobia, I'd turn on an interview with Trump and Pence. Fortunately, Rogen and bro Evan Greenberg are just executive producers. They're names on the poster. Neither is credited with writing or directing, and to my relief, Rogen does not show up on screen. So there are no endless riffs on whatever scares him or threatens his sexuality (women, gay men, growing up...you get the idea) and I didn't spend 90 minutes wishing he'd get swallowed by a black hole (although we'd probably still hear whatever riff he is ranting about for all eternity. So where does that leave "Good Boys?"
In a pretty standard position as far as comedies go. It's good for a few yuks and gross out moments, but the stiff performances and weak writing limit the heart-tugging moments that co-writer/director Gene Stupnitsky is going for. "Good Boys" wants to be an R-rated cross between "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Stand By Me," but it plays more like a wannabe.
Max (Tremblay), Lucas (Williams) and Thor (Noon) are best friends. They do everything together. Max gets invited to a kissing party by the cool kids and doesn't want to mess up first kiss with his crush Brixlee (Millie Davis). So the three of them decide to do some research to prepare. This leads to a raunchy journey that includes a broken drone, a few ecstasy pills, and a fight with some frat boys.
"Good Boys" has two problems: one, the acting isn't very good, and none of the actors seem to understand what they are saying. Working with child actors is something that troubles more than a few filmmakers, and Gene Stupnitsky is apparently one of them. The acting by the kids is universally stiff and occasionally shrill. Keith L. Williams has some good one-liners but occasionally doesn't seem to be at home saying them. Brady Noon comes closest to creating an actual character. Macaulay Culkin wannabe Jacob Tremblay is flat.
The film isn't devoid of humor. Just when things start to get dead, a successful one-liner lands. There's also a hilarious scene in a gas station, and the escapade with the frat boys is almost as funny. But the film lacks a vested interested. I didn't care about the boys or their problems. Towards the end, the film contains a message about growing up and growing apart, but it feels contrived. No one is going to have a sense of nostalgia after seeing this movie. Actually, no one who sees this movie is going to remember it. Myself included.
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