GOOD KIDS

Cinemavixion Review

In "Good Kids," director Chris McCoy crafts a coming-of-age comedy that grapples with the anxieties of post-graduation life. The film centers on four academically gifted high school students on Cape Cod who, on the cusp of embarking on their separate college journeys, realize they've prioritized study over experience. Their pact to shed their "good kid" personas and embrace the hedonism of summer before matriculation forms the narrative's core. While the premise echoes classic John Hughes fare, McCoy injects a contemporary sensibility, exploring themes of friendship, burgeoning sexuality, and the bittersweet realization that growth often means growing apart. Nicholas Braun, Zoey Deutch, and Mateo Arias deliver performances that capture both the earnestness and the awkwardness of their characters' attempts at reinvention. Despite a critical reception that notes its unevenness, "Good Kids" offers a relatable, if sometimes raucous, look at the universal transition from adolescence to adulthood.