Off the back of the phenomenal global impact made by TV series Adolescence last year, Stephen Graham portrays another, but very different, complex father in his latest picture, The Good Boy. Marking the English-language debut of Polish director Jan Komasa, the story centres around the shocking abduction of teenage tearaway Tommy (Anson Boon) after a raucous night out. Finding himself chained up in the basement of eccentric couple Chris (Graham) and Kathryn (Andrea Riseborough), he is subjected to their unconventional methods of rehabilitation.
Establishing an eerie tone that compliments its madcap premise, Komasa pitches the narrative somewhere between genres; a domestic thriller laced with elements of dark comedy and survival horror. It’s an ambitious script from screenwriters Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, spiking their mystery plot with a dose of social commentary on troublesome youth culture. However, the mystery lies not in the what or the who, but in the why as Chris and Kathryn seem to genuinely care for their hostage, in their own twisted way. Perhaps in a nod to A Clockwork Orange which appears to be an influence, Tommy amusingly becomes well-versed in classic works of literature. As Stockholm Syndrome comes into play and we become accustomed to the quirks of the unorthodox family dynamic, the film’s wicked sense of humour carries even more weight.
With lesser actors, films with this heightened style can run the risk of becoming one-note but the skilled performances elevate the characters, particularly from Graham and Riseborough who make Chris and Kathryn far more than the oddballs in the weird house up the road. They each bring intricate mannerisms to their portrayals which add richness and depth. “We’re not psychopaths” claims Chris in one scene as he attempts to justify their behaviour, but they are clearly very damaged individuals experiencing severe grief and trauma. It is also a fantastic showcase for the talent of Anson Boon who expresses great range in his role; in the beginning, he is a volatile, violent thug but we are able to empathise with Tommy by the final act.
In recent years, Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Graham have proven themselves to be in the conversation of the best British actors of their generation. They can and do appear in the big budget productions but will also, importantly, take risks for the betterment of independent cinema. They bring gravitas to this edgy thriller from exciting filmmaker Jan Komasa, making The Good Boy well worth strapping yourself in for.
Cinema Perspective 