When dog-owner Todd (Shane Jesson) falls gravely sick, he retreats to a secluded family cabin with his loyal canine companion (Indy), director Ben Leonberg’s actual pet, even though the abode is rumoured to be cursed following what happened to his grandfather before him. What could possibly go wrong? As a sinister force begins to threaten Todd, it’s his honourable hound's mission to protect his beloved owner from the evil entity.
You simply can’t help but admire the determination behind the film, crafted over three years of one-hour shoots at a time to acclimate to Indy’s needs. Imagine being able to immortalise your pet on film while spending countless hours simply dedicated to playing with him, what a life. For a low-budget indie film with a core cast of just three humans, the execution is remarkable. The clever use of lighting to obstruct faces in the movie was hard to ignore and reinforced the dog's perspective while leaning into the eeriness of the unknown. In an age where 'filmmakers' have succumbed to lazy AI-generated slop to masquerade as cinema, it is seriously inspiring to see such care and patience on display. It is very clear to see a true appreciation for film from the director.
Featuring one of the most astounding acting performances of the year, Good Boy certainly nails its gimmick right on the head. Indy is an irresistibly lovable lead with the most soulful brown orbs and tender expressions that pull at your heartstrings throughout the entire 73-minute run time - and that is coming from a cat person. The majority of the movie is Indy playing detective, trying to uncover what's lurking in the basement of the home and latching on to his best friend. You know, the classic barking towards the wall at things that seemingly aren’t there.
You experience some innate familial instinct to protect him.
Good Boy presents the ironic idea that we empathise more with this animal than we do with real human beings on screen. There’s something disarmingly pure about Indy. The second you see him in the opening shot, lying down, you experience some innate familial instinct to protect him. He doesn’t deserve to be battling these dark forces he’s up against. Perhaps this taps into some kind of original sin we carry around as humans, assumed to have moral failure to a certain degree. You immediately want this dog to win and are wincing in fear the entire time that something bad could happen to him.
Perhaps if I had a pet myself, the story would have packed even more of a punch, although I think anyone who has lost someone close to them can resonate with the waves of emotions throughout the film. It is less about the haunting and more about the proximity to suffering. The impending doom of understanding that someone you love is in pain and there is nothing you can do about it except passively watch time deteriorate them is the real horror.
It takes on a rather stoic philosophy towards the final act, confronting the inevitability of death and the steady ticking of time. Yet, in its closing moments, with Indy riding away with his head out of the window and his ears flapping in the wind, it gently reminds us that while loss is unavoidable, we must accept it and move on, living meaningfully in the present.
It begins to feel predictable.
However, dare I say I wish it were spookier? I’m an avid believer that horror needs to be scary again. I think the problem with the modern genre is that they focus too hard on trying to gross you out with blood and gore rather than actually frighten you. There was one singular moment that made me jump, and that's because I was reaching for popcorn, so the screen didn’t have my full attention. I won’t deny the fact that it masterfully created an atmosphere of dread. I was worried for that poor pup! I wish it played further into the climax rather than sticking to your stereotypical ominous shadows and a withered hand reaching out of the darkness to build tension - it begins to feel predictable.
In retrospect, Good Boy is nothing revolutionary. There is only so much you can explore with the prompt “scary movie from dog’s POV”, and if this formula were to be repeated again, I assure you it will swiftly turn cheap and oversaturated. I wish the story held more depth in explaining the connection between the generational terminal illness and the curse tied to the family home; the plot seemed to wear slightly thin. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome, especially considering it was an independent film. Good Boy is a film which explores its novelty to the fullest extent. Despite some narrative shortcomings, the film's emotional weight and original concept make it an undoubtedly memorable watch.