A comedy about grief may seem contradictory, but writer/director Tom Stuart (MAINSTREAM) drew from his own  experience (along with some very talented collaborators) to strike the perfect balance between melancholy and hope in his short film GOOD BOY. In addition to making this year’s Academy Awards shortlist for its category, the film recently had its U.S. premiere at the lauded Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).

In sixteen jam-packed minutes, GOOD BOY tells the story of Danny (Ben Whishaw) and his attempt to rob a bank with his overbearing mum (Marion Bailey). The plan is scuppered by the appearance of their family doctor, and with his mum in the back of his van, and a dead pigeon on the passenger seat, Danny has a growing sense of desperation. But as more and more figures arrive to disrupt his day, one begins to sense that everything is not as it seems…

WATCH THE GOOD BOY TRAILER

Stuart spoke to Temple of Geek while in Santa Barbara, revealing that not only was the GOOD BOY his directorial debut, but also was a labor of love. “It came from a very personal sad thing, which is that I lost my mom during the pandemic, and I felt compelled to write and tell this story,” Stuart, who hails from East London, shared. “I’d been looking for a way into directing for years…and I suppose because it’s so personal that I felt like I couldn’t really give it to anyone else. So that’s when [it was] obvious that this should be my directorial debut.”

Stuart’s direction allows GOOD BOY to navigate its absurdist tone without going over the top and thanks to his lead actors, the short also possesses genuine heart. Whishaw is known worldwide as “Q” in the James Bond film franchise, and perhaps equally if not more famously, provides the voice of the beloved Paddington Bear in the  PADDINGTON movies. Furthermore, Stuart deftly draws from his grief without exploiting it in GOOD BOY. “I think it’s a really fine line to walk, and I’m conscious of it the whole time,” the director acknowledged. “I would check in with my mum internally. She had great taste, and I think she would’ve loved all of this…I feel like I’ve got her blessing.”

WATCH OUR FULL INTERVIEW WITH TOM STUART

Even though GOOD BOY was deeply personal to Stuart, it’s resonated with audiences widely enough that he’s partnered with the charity Let’s Talk About Loss on the film. Focusing on people aged 18 to 35, Let’s Talk About Loss creates a safe space to talk through taboos and address the reality of losing someone close to you when you are young. The charity screens GOOD BOY at their meetups throughout the UK as a way to facilitate young people talking about their grief.

“We’re very honored to be working with them,” said Stuart. “Culturally, most people aren’t good at talking about grief.”  The director shares that working with Let’s Talk About Loss has “made sense of the whole film for me…Suddenly it wasn’t about me and my grief, it’s the thought that this could help other people and get other people talk about their own experience. [It] suddenly made the whole experience open up. ”

Furthermore, GOOD BOY so brilliantly explores grief that Dame Emma Thompson (MATILDA THE MUSICAL, CRUELLA) agreed to come on as an executive producer. “I loved her my entire life,” Stuart raved, “I still cannot believe she responded to my email, let alone came on to my directorial debut as EP.”  Since joining the team, Thompson has helped guide Stuart through the process of getting more eyes on GOOD BOY.

HEAR MORE ABOUT GOOD BOY’S US PREMIERE

At SBIFF this past weekend, GOOD BOY had its best reception yet. Despite some initial fear if Americans would ‘get’ the very British humor in the short, Stuart told Temple of Geek that his time in Santa Barbara has been “wonderful”. Next, the short travels back home to England where it will screen at BFI: Flare, the biggest LGBTIQ+ film festival in Europe. Find out how to see GOOD BOY in person HERE.

More about GOOD BOY and Tom Stuart 

Check out Good Boy on its production company’s WEBSITE

Follow GOOD BOY on Instagram and Twitter

Follow Tom on Instagram and Twitter 

Our interview with Tom was filmed at Kiva CoWork Downtown Santa Babara. Learn more about Kiva’s coworking spaces in Santa Barbara and how to become a member on their WEBSITE.