Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Good Boys (2019) movie poster

Plot Summary

Good Boys (2019) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 90 min · English
Echo score 66
Directed by
Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg
Starring
Jacob Tremblay, LilRel Howery, Sam Richardson, Chance Hurstfield, Will Forte, Midori Francis
Budget
$20M

When 12-year-old Max’s first kissing party approaches, he enlists his best friends, Thor and Lucas, for advice. Their curiosity leads them to commandeer a drone to secretly observe their neighbors, but their spying goes wrong when the drone is damaged. Determined to replace it before their fathers discover the mishap, the boys find themselves on a wild and increasingly chaotic adventure. Their quest involves stolen substances, a paintball battle, and frantic attempts to evade both the police and older, intimidating teenagers.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Good Boys
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Good Boys (2019)

Where can you watch Good Boys? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Good Boys: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Good Boys (2019) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Friends Max (Jacob Tremblay), Lucas (Keith L. Williams), and Thor (Brady Noon), collectively known as The Beanbag Boys, are stepping into the challenges of sixth grade with unique personal struggles. Max is head over heels for his classmate Brixlee (Millie Davis), while Lucas grapples with the upsetting news of his parents’ divorce. On the other hand, Thor faces peer ridicule when his passion for singing is mocked by the popular student Soren (Izaac Wang), who constantly teases him for his "feminine" interests. The pressure leads Thor to stifle his true self and refrain from confronting Soren.

The trio's adventure takes a turn when they get a chance to kiss Brixlee at a party thrown by Soren. In a scheme to learn the ropes of kissing, they decide to use Max's father's prized drone to spy on Hannah (Molly Gordon), their teenage neighbor. However, their well-laid plan spirals out of control, resulting in the drone being wrecked and them inadvertently acquiring Hannah's stash of ecstasy pills during a chaotic encounter in which they attempt to reclaim the drone.

To dodge punishment from their parents, the boys skip school with the intent to buy a replacement drone at the local mall, while being chased by Hannah and her friend Lily (Midori Francis). Faced with the reality of having no funds, they contemplate selling Lucas's prized baseball card valued at nearly $600, but Lucas hesitates, leading them to make a desperate decision to sell Thor's dad's sex doll instead, which netted them a similar amount.

Their journey to the mall becomes increasingly frantic as they stop at a convenience store coincidentally frequented by a police officer. In a fit of panic, Lucas hands over the drugs to the cop, who mistakenly identifies them as vitamins. After numerous misadventures, they finally reach the mall, only to discover that Hannah and Lily have purchased the drone. In a twist of fate, the girls will only return the drone in exchange for the ecstasy that the boys no longer possess.

Desperate, they manage to procure more ecstasy from Hannah's ex-boyfriend Benji (Josh Caras), allowing them to trade it for the drone. Despite their success, Max faces the inevitable consequence when his father discovers the drone's misuse, resulting in him being grounded. An argument erupts among the friends, driving them apart, but Max selflessly takes the blame to shield Lucas and Thor from punishment.

Later, Lucas confides in his parents about his fears of losing his friends, who recognize that the boys might be drifting apart. That evening, Lucas persuades Max to sneak out to Chloe's party, cleverly reuniting all three friends. In a moment of triumph, Max kisses Brixlee, while Lucas and Thor cross paths with Hannah and Lily again—revealed as Soren's sister—who encourage Thor to embrace his love for singing.

As the school year unfolds, Thor secures the role of Stacee Jaxx in their school’s production of Rock of Ages, Lucas takes an active stance against bullying, and despite heartbreak from his relationships with Brixlee and Taylor, Max finds a new love in classmate Scout ([Zoriah Wong]). After an exhilarating performance of their musical, Max, Lucas, and Thor reconcile, reaffirming their commitment to remain vital parts of each other's lives.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 12:22

Was this helpful?

Plot questions answered

Good Boys Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Good Boys (2019): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did the boys decide to spy on their neighbor Hannah with the drone?

The boys wanted to learn how to kiss before Soren's party, where Max hoped to kiss his crush Brixlee. Having no older siblings or real sex education, they thought spying on their teenage neighbor Hannah would teach them about kissing and dating. It was a naive solution born from their curiosity and lack of guidance about growing up.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Max's desperation to impress Brixlee establishes his willingness to take risky measures.

  • drone
  • spying
  • hannah
  • kissing
  • party
  • advice
Q2

How did the boys accidentally end up with ecstasy pills?

After crashing the drone into Hannah's window while spying on her, the boys scrambled to retrieve it. During the chaotic attempt to grab the drone back, they inadvertently grabbed Hannah's stash of ecstasy pills that was sitting nearby. They didn't know what the pills were, they just saw them as something valuable they could use to get their drone back.

Foreshadowing: The boys' complete lack of knowledge about drugs makes their handling of the pills dangerously naive.

  • ecstasy
  • pills
  • drone
  • hanna
  • accident
Q3

Why did the boys sell Thor's dad's sex doll instead of Lucas's valuable baseball card?

The boys needed around $600 to replace the broken drone. Lucas was extremely reluctant to sell his prized baseball card that had belonged to his father, causing tension in the group. Thor then suggested they sell his dad's sex doll that he'd found, which netted them the money they needed without forcing Lucas to give up something precious to him.

Foreshadowing: Lucas's emotional attachment to the baseball card early on highlights why selling it would have been painful for him.

  • sex doll
  • baseball card
  • money
  • drone
  • thor
Q4

Why did Lucas hand over the ecstasy to the police officer at the convenience store?

When a police officer entered the convenience store, the panicked boys thought they were about to be caught with drugs. Lucas, terrified and not thinking clearly, shoved the pills into the officer's hands, believing he was confessing. The officer mistakenly thought they were vitamins since they were in a bottle, allowing the boys to escape without consequences.

Foreshadowing: The boys' complete innocence about drugs and law enforcement leads to this absurd misunderstanding.

  • police
  • drugs
  • ecstasy
  • convenience store
  • panic
Q5

How did the boys manage to get the drone back from Hannah and Lily?

When the boys reached the mall, Hannah and Lily had already purchased the same drone model. The girls refused to return it unless the boys gave them the ecstasy pills, which Lucas had accidentally handed to the police. The boys then tracked down Hannah's ex-boyfriend Benji and convinced him to give them more ecstasy, which they traded for the drone.

Foreshadowing: The boys' earlier encounter with Benji at Hannah's apartment established a connection they could exploit later.

  • drone
  • hannah
  • lily
  • exchange
  • ecstasy
  • mall
Q6

Why did Max take the blame for the entire adventure and get grounded?

After their parents discovered the drone incident, Max chose to take full responsibility rather than let his friends face punishment. This act of selflessness came after an argument had split the group apart. By taking the blame, Max demonstrated his loyalty and saved Lucas and Thor from consequences, ultimately helping to heal their friendship.

Foreshadowing: Max's crush on Brixlee and his desire to attend her party earlier shows his willingness to risk things for what he wants.

  • max
  • grounded
  • blame
  • friendship
  • parents
Q7

How did the three friends manage to reunite after their big fight?

After being grounded and drifting apart, Lucas realized they were losing their friendship. He convinced his parents to let him attend Chloe's party, then convinced Max to sneak out. At the party, Lucas brought Thor together with Max, and the three reunited. Max finally kissed Brixlee, while Thor and Lucas ran into Hannah and Lily again, who encouraged Thor to pursue singing.

Foreshadowing: Lucas's fear of losing his friends, stemming from his parents' divorce, motivated him to take action.

  • friends
  • reunion
  • party
  • chloe
  • max
  • lucas
  • thor
Q8

Why did Thor decide to audition for the school musical after being bullied for singing?

Earlier in the film, Thor had been bullied by Soren for his feminine interests, causing him to hide his love of singing. At Chloe's party, Thor ran into Hannah and Lily again, who were revealed to be Soren's sisters. They encouraged him to embrace his passion for singing despite what Soren thought. This support gave Thor the confidence to audition and eventually win the lead role of Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages.

Foreshadowing: Thor's secret love for singing and his embarrassment about it set up his eventual breakthrough.

  • thor
  • singing
  • musical
  • audition
  • rock of ages
  • soren
Q9

Who was Hannah in relation to Soren, the bully?

Hannah and her friend Lily were revealed to be Soren's older sisters. This twist explains how the boys kept running into them throughout their adventure. The sisters' support of Thor at the end directly countered Soren's bullying, showing that his sisters didn't share his dismissive attitude toward Thor's interests.

Foreshadowing: The repeated encounters between the boys and the girls gain significance with this revelation.

  • hannah
  • soren
  • sisters
  • connection
  • twist

Movie threads

More Movies Like Good Boys, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Good Boys tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Panicked childhood misadventures like in Good Boys

Young protagonists whose small problems spiral into chaotic, high-stakes odysseys. If you liked the chaotic energy of Good Boys, you'll enjoy these movies about kids on wild, self-inflicted quests. This thread gathers similar comedies where youthful naivety leads to frantic chases, awkward encounters, and a desperate race against time, all filtered through a lighthearted, humorous lens.

  • frantic
  • mischievous
  • youthful
  • chaotic
  • awkward
  • adventurous
  • Tone: light, humorous
  • Pacing: fast, frantic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a relatable childhood goal or mistake that quickly spirals out of control. A linear chain of cause-and-effect drives the plot forward at a breakneck pace, with each attempt to fix a problem creating a bigger one. The journey is less about the destination and more about the chaotic, often humorous, process of survival and self-discovery.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared core: the collision of childhood innocence with adult-sized consequences, played for laughs. They feature a fast pace, a light tone that keeps peril from feeling truly threatening, and a focus on the intense, albeit temporary, panic that defines a kid's worldview.

Friendship comedies forged in chaos like Good Boys

Stories where a group's friendship is tested and strengthened by a shared, crazy experience. Fans of the trio's dynamic in Good Boys will appreciate these movies about friendships strengthened by wild escapades. This section features films where a group's loyalty and chemistry are the heart of the story, tested by a fast-paced, comedic adventure that brings them closer together.

  • humorous
  • heartwarming
  • chaotic
  • youthful
  • adventurous
  • loyalty
  • Tone: light, hopeful
  • Pacing: fast, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative structure is a journey, either literal or metaphorical, undertaken by a group. External conflicts and obstacles arise rapidly, forcing the friends to collaborate, argue, and ultimately unite to overcome the challenge. The central arc is the evolution of the friendship itself, moving from a state of casual familiarity to a proven, unbreakable bond.

Why they belong together: This thread connects movies where the primary emotional payoff is the affirmation of friendship. The shared experience of a fast-paced, often absurd, adventure acts as a catalyst for character growth and solidifies the group's connection, all while maintaining a light, comedic tone that ensures the journey is fun above all else.

If you liked this

Movies Like Good Boys

Similar movies to Good Boys: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Good Boys (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Good Boys in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app