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Heel (The Good Boy)

Play trailer 2:07 Poster for Heel (The Good Boy) Mar 2026 1h 50m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 65 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
From Academy Award® nominated director Jan Komasa, HEEL is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe® winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award® nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy's unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.

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Heel (The Good Boy)

Heel (The Good Boy)

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Critics Consensus

Having a maniacally fun time while wrestling with provocative questions about rehabilitation, Heel is a nutty thriller that has a surprising amount of method to its madness.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Mar 23
This is a curious, unsettling picture, with parallels to A Clockwork Orange: in this meeting of monsters, Chris is every bit as repellent and inhuman as Tommy at his rampaging worst. Go to Full Review
Mark Kermode Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube) Mar 23
An impressively nasty black comedy. Go to Full Review
Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK) Mar 20
2/5
The half-ideas at play here suggest a Yorgos Lanthimos twist on A Clockwork Orange, but that pitch could very easily have malfunctioned in exactly the ways this film does. Go to Full Review
Dionar Hidalgo Algo Más Que Cine Apr 19
8/10
A disturbing psychological fable anchored by Anson Boon's gripping, transformative performance, Good Boy unpacks the thin line between reform and abuse, even if its final act loses some of its unsettling precision. Go to Full Review
Whang Yee Ling The Straits Times (Singapore) Apr 13
4/5
You never know how the perverse story will next turn, nor where your sympathies should lie. Go to Full Review
Aaron Neuwirth We Live Entertainment Apr 1
7/10
There’s strong work going into this film, which is a great way to balance the oddity of what’s taking place here. Graham shows just how amazing he is as a performer, letting his character’s vulnerabilities lead him to both drastic and heartfelt actions. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Caz M @CazMartino 5d This is quite the different kind of movie. So much so that I'm sure most people won't know how to feel about it. All in all it was well acted and a break from the usual Hollywood plot lines. Unique and interesting. See more Hugo S @Hugo_Shudder Apr 29 A conservative family imprisons a teenager in their basement after testifying to his anti-social behaviour on social media. The radical punishment serves the purpose of rehabilitating the boy, who has a particular inclination for atrocious acts of bullying. As the dynamics between the delinquent and the dysfunctional family evolve, the roles of perpetrator and victim unexpectedly blur. "Heel" is a psychological thriller that challenges viewers to question the morally grey boundaries of control and subjugation. Despite its inventive premise and relevant social commentary, the insufficient character development leaves the audience with more questions than answers. On the other hand, some of the characters' choices are deeply questionable, resulting in a narrative that is not always convincing. See more Keagan G. @RT45233322 Apr 26 Liked this movie, really made me think See more Paul G @PaulGreen50 Apr 24 The Good Boy is less about captivity than it is about a moral dilemma: when someone’s freedom leads them to harm themselves and others, how far is it ever justified to take that freedom away in the name of helping them? It explores the uneasy space between guidance and control, forcing a confrontation with the uncomfortable truth that both neglect and overreach can cause damage, and that the line between them is never clear. See more Joel P @autumn1015 Apr 22 Wow. There isn't a sane character in the entire movie. They are all flippin' crazy. But there is a method to the madness, I think. My wife liked it. It's an odd flick but way better than most of the garbage out there. See more Seth C @RT46883288 Apr 20 I've never written a single review on a movie in my entire life, besides this one... This movie was that great. See more Read all reviews
Heel (The Good Boy)

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Heel (The Good Boy)

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Movie Info

Synopsis From Academy Award® nominated director Jan Komasa, HEEL is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe® winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award® nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy's unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Director
Jan Komasa
Producer
Jeremy Thomas, Ewa Piaskowska, Jerzy Skolimowski
Screenwriter
Bartek Bartosik, Naqqash Khalid
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Skopia Film, Recorded Picture Company
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 6, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 6, 2026
Runtime
1h 50m