By Ivory ElizabethJan Komasa’s Good Boy, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a taut psychological drama that lingers long after its final frame. With a script by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, the film balances unnerving tension with flickers of dark humor, creating a layered exploration of morality, grief, and the limits of human empathy.
At its center is Anson Boon, delivering a visceral performance as Tommy, a troubled young man spiraling into violence, alcoholism, and self-destruction. His reckless existence takes a jarring turn when he is kidnapped by a couple, played with haunting precision by Stephen Graham (Chris) and Andrea Riseborough (Kathryn), who confine him in their basement. What begins as an act of captivity unfolds into a disturbing form of forced rehabilitation.
Komasa directs with remarkable restraint, never succumbing to sensationalism. Instead, he sharpens the psychological stakes, leaving the audience uncomfortably complicit in Tommy’s fate. As the narrative progresses, viewers may catch themselves sympathizing with Chris and Kathryn’s actions, questioning whether their decision to imprison Tommy is cruel or, in some distorted way, merciful.
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