Running Time: 110 Minutes
Certification: 15
Starring: Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Anson Boon, Kit Rakusen, Monika Frajczyk
Sometimes, a title is too good for just one film. For his English language debut, Jan Komasa - director of 2019's Academy Award nominated Corpus Christi - brings to screen a tale of personal growth by way of captivity. In the UK, this film is known as The Good Boy. Yet this was renamed Heel in the U.S., likely to prevent confusion with last year's dog-protagonist chiller Good Boy, and 2023's underrated Good Boy. For my money, Komasa has directed possibly the strongest film with that title.
Viewers are introduced to Tommy (Anson Boon) in a club, where his night out involves heavy-drinking, substance abuse, cheating on his girlfriend and violence. No matter what debauchery unfolds, it is clear that this 19-year-old has a high opinion of himself and his exploits. As the night ends with the youth stumbling towards home, he is suddenly surprised when an unseen figure rushes at him.
We are then introduced to Chris (Stephen Graham) and Kathryn (Andrea Riseborough), who live in an isolated suburban family home with their son, Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). All seems well, apart from Tommy remaining chained up in their basement. The family intend to reform the youth's unruly behaviour, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games. This leaves the captive teen intent on escaping, but he soon discovers that breaking the rules has severe consequences.
Adapting a screenplay from Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, this story approaches a harrowing situation through a darkly comedic tone. A moment that sticks in the mind is when Chris shows the cleaning materials while casually mentioning the taser, treating the weapon as though it is an everyday implement. Central to all of this is the captive boy, with Anson Boon marvelously capturing an explosive rage lurking within Tommy, who is introduced as a nasty piece of work. He holds a clear contempt for the situation, but his anger mainly hides the lost boy who longs for a place where he can feel at home.
His captors are a broken family trying to rebuild themselves, despite a lost presence looming over them. Andrea Riseborough is exceptional as Kathryn, the maternal figure haunted by the absence left within this familial unit. Supporting her throughout this tough time is Chris, who Stephen Graham marvelously brings alive. The character can seem like cringe-worthy dad full of love, but beneath his groan-worthy jokes and calm exterior lies a lurking darkness. One gets the feeling that he is trying to rise above these darker impulses, but his attempts to reframe them cannot stop it leaking out.
Komasa brings alive the scenario in quietly chilling moments, where viewers are left watching abuse get justified as "reprogramming." Part of the process is confronting Tommy with his past actions, through the form of his previous social media videos. While he initially puts up a front and relishes in what he has done, facing up to them makes him realise their sickening impact. It feels like a modern take on the Ludovico technique from A Clockwork Orange, which raises the same question of whether rehabilitation means anything if it is under duress. If it is not his choice to change, does it truly count? It may be familiar territory, but that does not stop it from resonating.
The unfolding situation transforms captivity into a comfortable place for Tommy, as he starts finding something that he had previously longed for. But he cannot shake the reality of his situation, where he is treated like an animal that needs to be tamed. He may long for a previous life where he was free, yet the rose-tinted glasses hide the emptiness which made him act out so much. As it reaches a fascinating end-point about happiness being where we find it, The Good Boy is a compelling thriller worth watching for the performances alone.
The Good Boy is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital HD. It is available to stream on Prime Video.
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