You're a smart cookie, Ben Leonberg. How can I negatively review a dog-led haunted house movie? Good Boy is a layup for horror fans who adore their canine companions. Leonberg and co-writer Alex Cannon script a love letter to four-legged friends who lift our spirits, love us unconditionally and protect us from anything—including muddy basement entities. Leonberg's "Doggie Horror Movie" is leagues more than a gimmick, redefining traditional genre scopes for something applaudably innovative.
Leonberg's real-life dog, Indy, stars as himself in Good Boy. He's a loyal sidekick to Todd (Shane Jensen), a cancer patient who relocates into his grandfather's eerie woodland home (Larry Fessenden lends a veteran presence as pop-pop in old videos). Todd's sister Vera (Arielle Friedman) questions the choice, recalling an unshakable discomfort about the isolated spot. Her brother shrugs off the warning, but Indy immediately senses danger. Indy barks and claws and tries to warn Todd, but will his human understand?
It's a brilliant concept that will enrapture pet owners. Animals seem to acknowledge presences we cannot see, yapping into an empty corner or meowing down pitch-black hallways. Leonberg feasts on our paranoias by showing us Indy's perspective—and the shadowy figure that inhabits Todd's new pad. Indy's untrained as an actor yet commands the screen, taking after all-time showdogs like Jumpy (In A Valley of Violence) or Olivia (Widows/Game Night). Leonberg and his wife-slash-producer Kari Fischer spent three years working with and coaching their adorable pooch on Good Boy, translating patience into an authentic performance from one of the year's breakout stars.
Cinematography glides across the floor at Indy's height as he reacts with disgruntled huffs or timid whimpers to Todd's predicaments. All shots involving Indy were reportedly captured on closed sets, with only Leonberg and Fischer joining him in front of the camera. Indy's guardian-like adoration of his people translates to Todd's grappling with health and monsters, but even better, Indy's fixated eyes convey legitimate emotion. Leonberg turns Indy into a hero without sacrificing a haunted horror story's draw, complete with action beats and legitimate scares that'll rattle audiences.
It's resourcefully do-it-yourself but never shoddy. Indy's second-story and doghouse escape stunts are as thrilling as they are functionally impressive, workably capturing a jolt of excitement. Then there's the shadowy figure that pursues Todd, the bastard against whom Indy wages war. As Todd's condition worsens, Indy takes it upon himself with blazing courage to defend his master—leading to one-on-one altercations with his foe. You'd think a domesticated yet not camera-trained animal might struggle to sell the film's nastiest horror bites, but you'd be wrong. Leonberg manages enough shadow-jumping creeps to sustain a restless atmosphere, or uses the reflective twinkle in a dog's eye to raise our adrenaline with an off-screen gotcha.
That said, Good Boy struggles to sell its comprehensive screenplay from start to finish. Todd's condition, ties to Fessenden's relative, and the muck-man that keeps reappearing come with storytelling hiccups. Indy's performance is immaculate, but we're stuck justifying a dog's position in a heartfelt horror tale akin to Mike Flanagan's Before I Wake (shades of the Canker Man). I'll reiterate, Good Boy avoids becoming a diminishing gimmick—but ambition can supersede execution. Even at a cool seventy-three minutes, the experiment sometimes treads water.
Then again, no matter what, there's a dog on screen outshining his humans. In that regard, Good Boy is a rousing success. It's freaky and unsettling, brazenly unconventional, but most importantly, commits to creative payoffs that you've never seen before. Good Boy is more than a catchy premise or buzzy idea; it's an original horror gamble that refuses ghoulish conventions. What's the closest comparison, Jason Eisner's V/H/S/2 segment "Slumber Party Alien Abduction?" To say Indy's debut stands out from the pack is an understatement—it's paving the way for horror filmmakers to rethink the genre's limitations.
Movie Score: 3.5/5
Matt Donato is a Los Angeles-based film critic currently published on SlashFilm, Fangoria, Bloody Disgusting, and anywhere else he’s allowed to spread the gospel of Demon Wind. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. Definitely don’t feed him after midnight.
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