Stephen Graham’s New Drama Is Even Darker Than Adolescence

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Heel is a powerfully dark and surprising drama. Directed by Jan Komasa, the film explores the increasing problem of harmful behavior among young men today. This is a timely subject, and Stephen Graham recently tackled similar themes in his award-winning film, Adolescence.

Unlike other shows, Heel ventures into surprisingly dark territory right from the start. This bold move leads to a story that unfolds in unexpected and emotionally resonant ways, ultimately delivering a powerful and unforgettable drama that truly needs to be experienced firsthand.

Heel Starts Like A Horror Film, But Becomes Something Very Different

The film, known as Good Boy outside the US and Heel within the country, centers on Chris, played by Stephen Graham, and his family. They attempt to help a troubled young man named Tommy by taking him in, but Chris uses brutal methods – he assaults Tommy when he’s drunk and then chains him up in the basement.

At first, the movie appears to be heading in a horror direction. The unsettling atmosphere and characters – Tommy, his wife Kathryn, their son Jonathan, and the housekeeper Rina – suggest a story about Tommy trying to escape a creepy situation. Rina is presented as the character who would likely be the hero in that type of story.

As the movie progresses, the relationship between Tommy and the family evolves into a deeper story about dealing with guilt and personal growth. Initially, Tommy is angry and rebellious, but he slowly begins to connect with the family in a way that’s often humorous, occasionally heartbreaking, and surprisingly touching.

The movie consistently shows how disturbing Chris’s behavior is. Tommy is kept chained up, even when taken outdoors, and any attempt to resist results in harsh punishment, like an animal being disciplined. While the story is bleak, the film presents these events without explicitly condemning them.

The film doesn’t depict Chris’s family as villains, instead showing the complex relationships within the family. Throughout the story, we learn about a shared sadness experienced by Chris and Kathryn, and as the movie progresses, Rina and Tommy begin to form a connection with them.

The story doesn’t have a single, dramatic event that turns the characters into clear villains. Instead, they stay relatable, driving a plot that surprises you and thoughtfully examines difficult moral issues with a realistic touch. Everything leads to a surprisingly satisfying conclusion that reveals as much about human nature as it does about the characters themselves.

Why Heel Is Darker Than Adolescence

What sets Heel apart from Adolescence is how both works examine the idea of young men behaving badly, but in different ways. Adolescence felt more grounded in reality, showing how a single act of teenage violence led to a broader critique of society and didn’t avoid showing the consequences for those affected by it.

Although Tommy doesn’t go as far as Jamie in Adolescence, the show still presents him as a product of a culture that encourages harmful behavior in young men and even rewards it. Graham, along with the entire cast of both Adolescence and Heel, makes a conscious effort to portray their characters with depth and avoids reducing them to simple jokes or stereotypes.

The stories feel deeply authentic because they portray human experiences in a believable and compelling way. Though Adolescence draws more directly from real life than the darkly satirical world of Heel, both explore how people are reacting to changes in today’s society.

The strange and dreamlike qualities of Heel actually make its most realistic moments even more powerful. For example, there’s a scene where Tommy is made to watch old social media videos of himself. At first, he enjoys remembering his past successes, but he quickly realizes how awful his actions appear when seen from someone else’s point of view.

The ending of “Heel” makes the story even more disturbing and intricate, truly highlighting how terrifying Tommy’s ordeal was, while also showing a strange, unsettling kind of personal growth. “Heel” is unlike most movies currently playing, and it offers a particularly powerful and moving depiction of harmful behavior in young men – even better than the already excellent film, Adolescence.

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2026-03-11 00:41