Good Boys (2019)

If you came for Superbad Jr., that's what you're getting. A fitfully funny, raunchy, gross comedy featuring middle school prototypes of the bad boys from Superbad. For a lack of a better term, Good Boys has a playground to explore the tropes of tween life, and twisting them into comedy gold. At times, the movie goes for it and the jokes land very well. The more ballsier the joke, the more fun it is to watch. Plenty of "Oh My God" moments, especially in the opening half-hour. But in other times, there's much to be desired. The sentimental message at the end really didn't work for me at all. It smudges the entire purpose of what we are watching. If the premise is to have pre-pubescent children get into outlandishly adult situations, just pound your foot on that comedy gas pedal and never pull back. Good Boys isn't brave enough to go that distance, but it isn't cowardly enough to avoid it's share of moments either. In the end, it's filled with enough laughs for a good time at the movies, but it shows the flaws of comedy in 2019, and why it makes sense that industry comedy movies are not flooding the box-office like they used to. McLovin', I miss you.