Until my latest dog, whom I’ve had for eight years, I honestly did not have much luck growing up with “man’s best friend.” I had been chased by a pit bull multiple times, bitten on my leg until I bled by a Doberman, and heartbroken that I had to give up my dog that was half wolf, after he started attacking my baby sister. My experiences were more like Cujo than Lassie.
Filmmaker Ben Leonberg’s indie horror film Good Boy, co-written by Alex Cannon, centers on a dog who knows that his master is living in a haunted house. It’s a great concept, with even more incredible acting by Indy the dog, and an impressive feature debut by director Leonberg. The story’s point of view is from the dog’s perspective. The camera is not pointed directly through Indy’s eyes (a la young Michael Myers at the start of Halloween), but much like with dogs, the viewer hardly ever sees human faces. There are a lot of low, stylish angles and fantastic cinematography overall.
As for the humans, Shane Jensen plays Indy’s master Todd, Arielle Friedman is Todd’s sister Vera (mostly heard over the phone), and their grandfather is played by Larry Fessenden. Since the film is seen through Indy, the humans are mainly secondary. I found this to be a bit disorienting at first, but it grew on me over time.
Todd and Indy explore a fog-filled cemetery in Good Boy.
“…a dog who knows that his master is living in a haunted house.”
Good Boy is a slow burn, with some scenes of shadows and figures that are more creepy than scary. The concept of a dog being able to see the haunted house stuff that humans can’t, is an idea that seems like it should have been used early and often in horror films. Who hasn’t had a dog that eerily barked at something that you can’t see?
The biggest standout of the movie is Indy. The dog has human-like reactions for days, bolstered by the fact that director Leonberg is his owner in real life. Ben surely knows how to get certain reactions out of him, likely riding Indy all the way to a masterful performance (unless he’s just a natural). It sounds insane to say, but I wouldn’t blink an eye if Indy was actually nominated for an Oscar. I would, in fact, applaud and champion it.
My biggest criticism is that the plot could be labeled as bacon-thin. Good Boy is about mood, atmosphere, and Indy, which is enough for a good time. There’s a backstory about the grandpa living in the house previously, but there’s just not a whole lot to dig into story-wise until the end (the finale does pack an emotional punch). There are certain shots of the dark, shadowy house that remind me of John Carpenter, and then the pulsating, simplistic yet effective score in the third act certainly gives me Carpenter vibes. Ben Leonberg and Indy the dog are both going places after this standout work.
I have learned over time that dogs can be great friends, and Indy does certainly seem like a good boy. His performance will leave you touched by the finale of Good Boy. Bravo to Indy, who displays more humanity than many human actors are even capable of.
"…bravo to Indy, who displays more humanity than many human actors are even capable of. "
