Dogs always know. In every haunted house movie, the dog tells us things aren’t right. However, what if we saw it all from the dog’s perspective instead? That’s Ben Leonberg’s Good Boy in a nutshell. This one isn’t going to be everyone, but it will be a hit for the folks who love pups and horror.
Indy, the dog, is not only what makes this film unique. He is the face of the film. Akin to Charlie Brown, we never spend time with the adults in Indy’s life. Leonberg’s decision to make Indy the focus works well as we follow Indy throughout his journey. I can admit it felt a bit gimmicky at the start. However, as we get to know Indy and understand his relationship with his human, Todd (Shane Jensen), while seeing more of his personality, it becomes evident that this is the best way for Indy’s story to unfold. Although, some moments are a bit foggy because we only see things from Indy’s point of view. Let me add that this dog can act. Almost better than some human actors I’ve seen recently in horror. He worked so well with Jensen that I am surprised he isn’t his real owner.
Horror Fan’s Best Friend
As a fan of the supernatural subgenre, let’s talk about the scares because that is what we are here for. When reading the synopsis, one would expect this to be a horror comedy – at least I did. Surprisingly, Good Boy has a much more serious tone than I expected. While Leonberg crafts some eerie and suspenseful moments (with a few good jump scares), the haunting situations that Indy faces are not truly the focus of this film. They are more of a way to see through the eyes of our four-legged friends. Todd is sick. And the life that Indy and Todd had together has changed. There is an emotional heaviness at times that made me want to go home and hug my dog.
This isn’t a cut-and-dry film that spells everything out for you. Leonberg relies on the visuals to carry the story and not exposition. You must pull together the narrative through conversations and Indy’s sporadic memories. So, if you are looking for a linear interpretation from Good Boy, you won’t find it. However, I think that works for this film. It’s from a dog’s POV, after all. The plot isn’t stellar, but it’s entertaining and, at moments, pretty darn creepy.
With this being Leonberg’s debut feature film, I’m interested in seeing what he does next. Shooting a horror film from the perspective of a dog is a neat “trick” that worked. After seeing a recent haunted house film from a different POV earlier this year, I didn’t know what to expect with Good Boy. It isn’t just a haunted house story. It is a story about courage, love, and how hard life can come at us when we least expect it. More importantly, who doesn’t love a good dog story?
Check out what Kristie thought of Redux Redux here.
