Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Episode: Is Stephen Graham another bad boy in THE GOOD BOY?

Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Mark Kermode & Simon Mayo
Main Guest: Stephen Graham

Episode Overview

This episode revolves around a review and in-depth discussion of the new psychological black comedy The Good Boy (titled Heel in the US), starring Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough. The hosts also break down other major releases—Dead Man’s Wire, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and Project Hail Mary—with Graham appearing for an extended conversation about his role, the film's themes, and his approach to acting. Lively banter, listener correspondence, and film recommendations round out the show.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Banter, Recommendations & Housekeeping

[03:08 - 06:43]

• Simon introduces the term “frame mogging” and the perils of new hi-res podcast camera setups.
• Oscars debrief: Listeners are pointed to a special episode for detailed Oscars coverage.
• Upcoming content: Reviews for Dead Man's Wire, Ready or Not 2, and Project Hail Mary, plus a segment with Stephen Graham for The Good Boy.
• Memorable Quote:

  “If he [Stephen Graham] stars in a film, he's going to make the film better.” – Simon Mayo [06:26]

2. Listener Correspondence & Film Accuracy

[05:42 - 12:04]

• Detailed email on brewing realism in Mother’s Pride with insights from a real brewer, Rob White.
• Teachers praise the podcast’s role in inspiring students toward film studies.
• Mark and Simon riff on the name of the podcast—"on the take"—with self-deprecating humor.
• Memorable Quote:

  “We’re public service broadcasters.” – Mark Kermode [11:54]

3. Review: Dead Man’s Wire

[12:22 - 20:05]

• Gus Van Sant’s new film retells a true 1977 hostage story—weighted with media circus undertones and parallels to Dog Day Afternoon.
• Bill Skarsgård and Al Pacino headline, with a strong focus on evoking '70s aesthetic and themes of media complicity.
• Key Take:
  “Not fiercely original,” notes Mark, “but very gripping” and “well-acted.”
  Quote:

  “[It] walks a very interesting line between all of those things … about the way in which the media can become bizarrely, almost surreally complicit.” – Mark Kermode [19:10]

4. Box Office Top 10 Rundown

[23:06 - 33:44]

• Brief reviews of films in the current UK box office, highlighting The Bride, Epic Elvis Presley in Concert, Mother’s Pride, Reminders of Him (“cheesy melodrama … but it worked for me”—Mark), and Hoppers (Pixar’s latest).
• Listener Letters: Some praise, some light nitpicking of reviews, unique audience stories (“I was the only one in my screening!”).
• Notable Moment: Discussion about how box office flops can be a treat for filmgoers:

  “It’s kind of lovely to see a film in a cinema in which you may be the only person there.” – Mark [25:50]

Feature Interview: Stephen Graham on The Good Boy

[35:18 - 49:59]

Background and Set-Up

[35:18 - 37:14]

• Graham is introduced as one of the UK’s most dependable actors, with credits read out by Simon.
• Film overview: A family, reeling from loss, kidnaps a young man (Anson Boone as Tommy) to “civilize” him, keeping him chained in their basement.

Graham on Character & Performance

[37:33 - 41:18]

• Describes The Good Boy as a film about grief, broken people, and warped attempts at healing.

• On transforming physically into Chris (his character):

  “My intention was to try and physically make him look like a man who was incapable of any kind of violence.” – Stephen Graham [40:36]

• Andrea Riseborough’s role as Chris’s wife: Their shared history as co-parents in “Matilda the Musical” helped their on-screen rapport.

Themes & Influences

[41:18 - 43:04]

• Victorian moralist overtones—Simon compares the parents’ project to “Victorian missionary” efforts at self-improvement.
• Film night in the script: Showing Kez to Tommy, mirroring Graham's own upbringing.

  “They were things that my mum and dad did with me … trying to educate through creativity.” – Stephen Graham [42:04]

Morality, Social Media, and Satire

[43:10 - 46:44]

• Conversation on social media and intertextuality with Graham’s previous show, Adolescence.
• Simon relays Mark’s (unheard at recording time) description:

  “Impressively nasty black comedy with a hint of Clockwork Orange.” – Mark Kermode [44:16]

• Graham welcomes the comparison, referencing the reprogramming themes of Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and Pink Floyd’s The Wall.

On Ambiguity and the Ending

[46:44 - 49:22]

• Explores questions the film intentionally leaves murky—who is the “good boy”? Is “fixing” people ever ethical?
• Family backstory: The couple lost their previous son to addiction—a fact motivating their bizarre “home detox” for Tommy.
• Simon lauds the “twisted” logic and harrowing ending, while Graham shares hints about future projects.

Kermode’s In-Depth Review: The Good Boy

[50:44 - 56:20]

• Restates the film’s origins (Polish script by Jan Komasa; English adaptation for broader appeal).

• Compares Tommy (Anson Boone) to Alex in A Clockwork Orange:

  "Like Alex, he's a tear away ... also like Alex, he is captured and subjected to a brutal technique designed to reprogram him.” – Mark Kermode [50:59]

• Questions raised:

  • Is coercive reformation ever justifiable?
  • Are the parents traumatized by their own doing?
  • Where is the ethical line, especially as the story veers darkly comedic?

• The ending:

  “A real sort of dark twist of the knife … the blackest of black jokes, really, really dark.” – Mark Kermode [54:03]

• Final assessment:
  "An impressively nasty black comedy about levels of control and coercion, damaging trauma, the lure of cult indoctrination, and Stockholm syndrome. … Bleak, but performed with icy edge and satirical bite.”

Simon’s View

[56:20 - 58:38]

• Admits the film’s “weird” tone is not his usual favorite, but performances—especially Graham’s physical transformation—are compelling.
• Compares Graham’s subtlety to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs: Atmosphere built before a word is spoken.

Further Reviews and Features

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

[64:13 - 71:08]

• Sequel to the 2019 black comedy-horror; picks up with “blood-splattered bride” Grace after the original’s literal family explosion.
• Mark praises it as “a big bucket of blood-drenched popcorn,” relishing its slapstick, splatter, and sisterly dynamic (Samara Weaving & Catherine Newton).
• Standout note:

  “Way better than Scream 5 and 6.”
  “It's not reinventing the wheel, but it is honest in what it is doing and it does it rather well.” – Mark Kermode [70:44]

Project Hail Mary

[76:09 - 90:39]

• Mark’s film of the week:
  • Describes the Phil Lord & Chris Miller adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel as a “friendship in space” tale, spiritual successor to Silent Running.
  • Ryan Gosling stars as an unlikely astronaut who befriends an alien (Rocky) via inventive puppetry for authentic on-screen rapport.
• Key themes:
  • Loneliness and communication in space
  • Importance of emotional fidelity over strict scientific realism
• Memorable quote:

  "It's a big, spectacular science fiction movie, but it's really about friendship." – Mark Kermode [86:28]

• Simon notes Andy Weir’s humor helps parse the science, likening it to “bite-sized chunks” that keep the story digestible.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Stephen Graham’s Character-Changing Skill:

  “My intention was to try and physically make him look like a man who was incapable of any kind of violence.” – Stephen Graham [40:36]

• On Satire & Influences:

  “It’s that trying to reprogram…deconstructing the character you’ve created to survive your own world…That’s reflections of [Clockwork Orange].” – Stephen Graham [45:08]

• On the Ending of The Good Boy:

  “[It] twists the knife…a blackest of black jokes, really, really dark.” – Mark Kermode [54:03]

• On Project Hail Mary’s Emotional Core:

  “It’s a big, spectacular science fiction movie, but it’s really about friendship.” – Mark Kermode [86:28]

• On Audience Experience:

  “It’s kind of lovely to see a film in a cinema in which you may be the only person there.” – Mark Kermode [25:50]

• On Thematic Weight:

  “About the damaging effects of trauma … also about not just the wider role of society, but about the lure of cult indoctrination and Stockholm syndrome.” – Mark Kermode [55:15]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [06:13] Stephen Graham introduction
• [12:22] Dead Man’s Wire review
• [23:06] Box Office Top 10
• [35:18] Stephen Graham interview begins
• [44:16] “Impressively nasty black comedy with a hint of Clockwork Orange”
• [50:44] Mark’s solo review of The Good Boy
• [64:13] Ready or Not 2: Here I Come review
• [76:09] Project Hail Mary review
• [90:55] Film of the Week announced

Listener Interaction & Festival Plugs

[71:56 - 76:09]

• Shoutouts for independent film festivals (Ramsgate, Oscar Bright, etc.), listener-run comic “Popcorn”, charity film quiz—encouraging audience participation and contribution.
• Touching correspondence from teachers and local film fans reinforce the show’s influence.

Tone and Style

• The episode strikes the classic Kermode & Mayo balance: warm camaraderie, wry self-deprecation, and sharply articulate critique.
• Both hosts riff off each other with dry wit while keeping the focus on detailed, thoughtful movie insight.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a standout for listeners interested in challenging new cinema, featuring one of the UK’s finest actors, and nuanced reviews. If you’re looking for an engaging, comprehensive conversation on the ethics of rehabilitation (The Good Boy), the joys of splatter comedy (Ready or Not 2), or the emotional magic of sci-fi friendship (Project Hail Mary), the hosts deliver wise, funny, and sometimes provocative insights, with memorable contributions from Stephen Graham himself.

Have thoughts on The Good Boy or any new release?
Send your views to: correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com