Good Boys

In regard to the hilariously awkward and sardonic Good Boys, viewers may easily find themselves just a bit torn. But for this reviewer, the biting, over-the-top and oftentimes vulgar humor proves consistently irresistible — certainly reminiscent of the average young man’s ascent into the topsy-turvy years of pubescence.

The premise of this film involves a young man who chooses to use his father’s drone, which is meant strictly for work. The tween and his comrades attempt to spy on an older female neighbor to capture footage of how to kiss properly. Inevitably, things don’t go as planned, and thus commences the true adventure.

The irony of this film is that the “boys” are actually fairly innocent and naive, regardless of how curiously geeky and mischievous they may be. Thoroughly modern and up-to-date, I would dare say that this is possibly the consummate millennial coming-of-age story. So many of the genre’s traditions are present — especially ridicule and peer pressure — but with a heightened sense of innocence and stability being compromised.

With these young men on the verge of a sexual/social awakening that may be more imaginary than they care to admit, the humor remains constant, and in the rare instances it dissipates, it’s to intelligently make room for universal truths. As simple and silly as this film is in many ways, it manages to reflect a surprising number of diverse perspectives and emotions.