Metacritic reviews

Good Boys somehow manages to balance its risqué, scatological impulses with a surprisingly sweet, resonant coming-of-age tale.

Even if the rapid-fire pace of the jokes keeps a tiny handful of them from landing, the film gets bonus points for not being afraid to get emotional.

While the pace is spotty and not every joke lands, “Good Boys” manages to be adorable and twisted at the same time.

Good Boys is a snappy comedy that pokes fun at those painful pubescent years and, by the credits, grows up into a somewhat mature comedy about friendship.

It is a little peculiar as to who the audience for “Good Boys” is exactly. It’s too vulgar for kids who are the age of the film’s characters, and while an adult audience will likely find much to admire and potentially even teach their kids, some of the film’s more sophomoric elements could get a little grating.

There’s just one problem. It’s mostly the same jokes over and over: cute kids cursing and not understanding sex stuff.

Generation "Home Alone", now grown up and maybe with children of its own, will be amused in the moment, but the film’s heart isn’t as subversive as it wants us to believe.

Despite some endearing passages, Gene Stupnitsky’s uninspired crude tween comedy Good Boys is a cringe-inducing affair.

A nearly one-note comedy.

A little too imitative of “Superbad” ... Good Boys lacks that film’s wit and heart. It’s a lively, slick package, yet crude and obvious at every turn.