A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.
Chuck says:
Ostensibly a gimmick film, Ben Leonberg’s “Good Boy” gets by on the charm of its four-legged lead and the novelty of its premise. Shot on a shoestring budget and running a scant 72 minutes, it’s a modest undertaking. Yet, it took over 400 days, stretched out over three years, to shoot, the language barrier between the filmmaker and his star, Indy, as photogenic a dog as you’ll ever see, proving problematic. The final product shows Leonberg tripped up repeatedly by his lack of funds as well as shortcomings as a filmmaker. However, these limitations end up helping the movie as it doesn’t overstay its welcome, exiting stage left just as the premise is wearing thin.
Background information regarding the human characters is cursory at best. But I suppose screenwriters Alex Cannon and Leonberg can be forgiven, if we’re to assume they’re doing so to put us in the shoes (paws) of their dynamic lead, Indy. This loyal dog could care less about what job his master has, just as long as his bowl is full, treats are provided, and belly rubs are frequent. What Indy does realize is that Todd (Shane Jensen) is very sick, often bleeding from the nose and repeatedly dealing with body-wracking coughing fits.
Much to the consternation of his sister, Vera (Arielle Freidman), Todd and Indy head out to an abandoned farm where their grandfather once lived. Having died under mysterious circumstances, the house is said to be haunted by the locals. Looking at old VHS tapes of grandpa, displaying the same symptoms Todd has, it quickly becomes apparent something is amiss. Inexplicable shadows and sounds are seen and heard on these recordings, events Indy and his master soon witness themselves.
Animals, particularly dogs and horses, being able to sense supernatural presences long before humans is a horror story trope and “Good Boy” explores this to great effect. Indy is spooked by figures lurking in the shadows, sounds in the woods and even a ghost dog. We’re privy to them as well, allowing us to share in the dog’s fear and frustration, his efforts to warn Todd to get out of Dodge, falling on deaf ears.
It comes as no surprise there’s no cinematographer listed in the credits. It’s woefully obvious Leonberg served as his own director of photography and simply relied on natural lighting throughout. This results in many key shots being far too dark, leaving it impossible to discern who is in them or what is occurring. More times than not, this happens when the monster in question appears, and while this may have been done to obscure cheap costuming or special effects, it just leads to frustration. Quick editing and sudden camera moves compound this problem. Again, if you wish, this can be written off as purposeful, if you buy into the notion we’re seeing all of this from Indy’s eyes. His knee-level point of view is utilized throughout to underscore his vulnerability, what with his limited point of view.
As for Indy, he’s a charmer from first frame to last. You’ll be forgiven if at times you wonder just what Leonberg was doing off camera to get his canine star to tilt his head a certain way or make him scamper into the woods. Then again, that’s part of “Good Boy’s” appeal as it works on two levels. As a thriller, it’s barely sufficient, but as a document focused on the interaction between dogs and humans, both on screen and off, it proves to be an engaging exercise from beginning to end.
3 Stars
Pam says:
Who doesn’t love a movie about a dog? “Good Boy,” however, is a horror movie whose main character is a dog and we see the story unfold through his eyes and from his perspective. This bold narrative choice transforms what could have been a conventional cabin-in-the-woods horror film into something far more intriguing. Indy, a loyal Golden Retriever, and his owner Todd who has just been released from the hospital, move into a cabin in the woods, formerly owned by Todd’s grandfather who passed away in this house under horrific conditions which we are not yet privy to. The setup is deceptively simple, but the execution reveals layers of psychological complexity that keep us engaged even when the narrative threads begin to fray.
Of course, as all horror movies set in a cabin in the woods, it’s a dark and stormy night followed by gray and rainy days, setting the proper ambiance. Director and co-writer Ben Leonberg leans into these genre conventions while simultaneously subverting them through Indy’s unique perspective. We’re not watching another group of teenagers stumble into supernatural danger; we’re experiencing the slow unraveling of a family’s dark history through the heightened senses of a creature whose only concern is protecting his human. Indy senses past traumas in the house as we get a glimpse into the visuals that Indy’s nose provides, a fascinating cinematic technique that translates olfactory information into disturbing imagery. These moments are among the film’s most effective, creating an atmosphere of dread that builds gradually rather than relying on cheap jump scares.
The decision to keep Todd largely invisible until the film’s conclusion is both daring and problematic. We never see Todd until the end, but we hear his voice as he talks with Indy or chats with his sister Vera (Arielle Friedman) on the phone, always concerned. This approach forces us to rely entirely on vocal performance and Indy’s reactions to understand Todd’s deteriorating condition, both physical and mental. It’s an interesting constraint that works more often than it doesn’t, though there are moments when we desperately want visual confirmation of what we’re hearing. As Todd’s health situation declines, we watch the ominous black and white videos of Grandpa as he speaks from beyond. It’s simply chilling in parts, these grainy recordings serving as the film’s most overtly supernatural element and its most effective source of genuine terror.
Unfortunately, the writers, Ben Leonberg and Alex Cannon, plant some seeds of a storyline and forget to follow through. This is where “Good Boy” stumbles most significantly. The film introduces compelling mysteries about the grandfather’s death, hints at Todd’s medical condition being connected to the house’s dark history, and suggests deeper family secrets that never fully materialize. Those loose ends left me dissatisfied, wanting more resolution and clarity about what exactly happened in that cabin and why. The screenplay seems to prioritize atmosphere and emotional beats over narrative coherence, which works beautifully in individual scenes but leaves the overall story feeling incomplete. We’re given puzzle pieces that don’t quite fit together, and while ambiguity can be powerful in horror, this feels more like unfinished business than intentional mystery.
But still, it’s a film with a message that is worth discussing as the credits roll. Beneath the horror trappings lies a meditation on loyalty, the bonds between humans and animals, and how trauma echoes through generations. The real star is Indy whose expressive eyes and eyebrows allow us to understand what he is thinking; worried if he will make it out alive. And yes, he does—we dog lovers need to know this ahead of time, and I’m happy to provide that reassurance. The canine performance here is nothing short of remarkable, conveying fear, confusion, determination, and unwavering devotion without a single word. Every tilt of the head, every anxious glance, every protective stance tells us exactly what Indy is experiencing, and we feel it alongside him.
And while we are watching this intuitive dog react and respond, we ponder how the filmmakers captured each and every scene from every angle. The cinematographer creates a visual language that works from a dog’s-eye-view but unfortunately, many of the scenes are too dark to decipher what’s happening. The sound design is equally impressive, amplifying the creaks and whispers that would catch a dog’s attention, making us hyper-aware of every threatening noise in that isolated cabin. While the film didn’t quite deliver a thorough story, it’s worth watching and knowing that Director Leonberg has a bright future ahead with his next endeavor. There’s genuine talent on display here, a willingness to take risks and experiment with form that suggests great things to come once the storytelling catches up with the ambition.
2 1/2 stars
