Historically, I’ve not been a dog person. Yeah, I can hear your booing from here, but you don’t know me or my past traumas! I was bitten when I was like two years old, and I’ve been a big scaredy-cat ever since, at least until I really get to know a new canine friend. But, that’s an aside to say that I’m not easily drawn in by a cute doggo, wanting to give them pats on the head, big ole’ cuddles, or call them the bestest best boy around.
Now you have that context, I can tell you about the new horror movie, Good Boy, directed by Ben Leonberg and starring, well, his dog Indy. The whole film is shot from the perspective of Indy, following him and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), as they move out to the backwoods of nowhere for a new start after a health scare. But all is not as it seems for one man and his dog when some weird crap starts to happen.
Given the context, you’d think I would be meh on this 75-minute budget horror movie, but you’d be wrong. After watching Good Boy, I am literally contemplating my life choices for not having a pupper. Indy IS THE BESTEST BEST BOY AND MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
*ahem*
Let’s get into it.
Todd, a man looking to make a change in his life after recovering from a serious illness, moves out to the country with his loyal dog, Indy. Renovating his grandfather’s secluded old house (trying not to say cabin in the woods), Todd’s health begins to deteriorate. Is this his illness returning, or are the rumors of his grandpapa’s haunted house actually true?
Following Todd’s dog Indy and his experiences is the key. Haunted by ghostly apparitions, noises in the night, and his best friend’s change in personality, Indy has to navigate his new surroundings with caution before it’s too late for him and Todd. And this good boy is gonna do everything he can to save his bud.
One of the more frequent challenges I come across in horror films is when I think the protagonists are awful human beings who kinda deserve the horrors thrust upon them. Most protagonists these days are flawed in an attempt to make them interesting. In I Know What You Did Last Summer, I was actually hoping the killer snuffed out those horrible teens, and in movies like Wolf Man or Until Dawn, I barely felt anything.
But Indy the dog must be protected at all costs!
If you don’t feel anything for this little buddy, then you have a heart of stone. Scratch that - no heart at all. Indy is a pure, innocent soul that I couldn’t help but feel anxiety for as the spooky stuff was happening. He’s not mean, nor a noisy, irritable dog. He only barks on a few occasions, and even that is simply to warn his owner about impending danger. The film’s title says it all: he’s a really good boy.
As the supernatural entities converged on Todd and Indy, I couldn’t help but wonder how much was real and what was an allegory for how a dog is known to be able to sense when their owner is not in good health. I’ve no doubt that Todd’s grandfather’s house was haunted in some way, but I can’t tell you which encounters were a manifestation of that sixth sense.
It begs the question about which ghostly apparitions were appearing, and which ones were Indy being so overly worked up because his owner was in trouble. Todd’s sister even says as much on the phone in a conversation with Todd, being concerned with Indy’s behavior, staring into space at nothing there and such. She hadn’t heard about any phantom’s presence, and she knew something was going on, so that’s my inkling.
But, man, if it was Indy’s imagination, I’m worried for that dog.
Watching Good Boy was one of the most stressful 75 minutes I’ve experienced at the cinema in the last decade. Some of that has to do with how it makes you instantly worried about the bestest best boy around, Indy, but that’s not all of it. The film is shot in a way that accentuates the tension, making you feel like everyone is in genuine danger.
The novel thing about Good Boy is that the camera follows Indy, and it shows his perspective on everything. As a consequence, the picture is mostly captured from a really low angle, meaning even everyday objects like a bed or a wardrobe look absolutely gigantic from your perspective. A common door looks insurmountable, and it is for Indy, who, even if he had opposable thumbs, would struggle to open it.
Good Boy also plays with shadows and lighting really well to make everything seem scarier. Maybe there is something there, but you can’t see properly. Was that a twitch in the darkness? What was that creak? And all of this is made so much better by Indy’s inquisitive nature and curious, yet freaked-out, looks at those empty spaces. If you could give an Academy Award to an animal, then Indy should be in the running. I know that sounds dumb, but watch this film, comprehend the work done by this doggo, and tell me I’m wrong.
What’s also unnerving is that, because you’re seeing this from Indy’s perspective, human faces are obscured most of the time, either by shadows or by virtue of the cinematography. You can’t see Todd’s reactions, so it means you aren’t getting the full story. He could be possessed, sick, tired, cranky, anything! You’re the dog, and you’re missing out on some crucial details. All of this comes together so well that it made me into Mr. Anxious throughout.
Enjoyed is not a word I would attach to my feelings about Good Boy. Unnerved, stressed-out, anxious, impressed and a little scared, for sure, but not enjoyed. This is a feat of filmmaking, having the lead of a horror film being an actual domesticated canine and working as a concept. It’s honestly extraordinary that, over a 400-day period, Ben Leonberg got a terrific performance from Indy and the right shots in the camera to make a full feature.
Aside from the miracle that this is an actual film, they achieved something special with Good Boy. It’s one of the most effective horror movies I’ve seen this year, mixing a lovable protagonist with fantastic cinematography and a really good story. I went to the theatre expecting a cookie-cutter spooky ghost story, and what I received was a complete and welcome surprise. Well, until it came time to go to sleep and my BPM was still over 100 because of how this movie affected me.
It’s not a masterpiece, as I can see flaws with special effects and some acting performances (except Indy), but it’s definitely a recommendation I’ll be handing out to friends and fans of the genre. It’s Indy-credible.
I’ll see myself out.
Have you seen Good Boy? What did you think of the film? And, where does Indy rank on the list of bestest boys in film? Let me know in the comments.
