The new indie horror film Good Boy directed by Ben Leonberg experienced a limited theatrical run this October, largely due to the social media buzz that the film (and its furry star) generated. The four hundred hours of filming were shot over the course of about three years to make certain that Indy, the star of the film and the director’s dog, did not have to spend long days on set or experience increased stress as a result of filming. In fact, in the making of featurette that appears when seeing the film in theatres, Leonberg stresses that Indy had absolutely no clue that he was in a movie, and that anything extra scary or potentially distressing for Indy was added in post-production. The film centers on the idea of what your dog is really seeing when they are seemingly just staring off into space and really leans into what is an often underutilized perspective in horror: that of an animal. We see many instances of our main character, Todd, telling his dog to stop barking at something that isn’t there, or to stop trying to go to spaces that don’t have anything in them (like the basement); however, our unique perspective of seeing what Indy sees means that we can see things that Todd cannot.
As the movie progresses further and further, Indy watches Todd’s illness worsen as his paranoia spirals out of control. This idea of dogs being more prone to seeing the supernatural is not a new concept, but Leonberg makes something really special with the expressiveness and tension that having Indy in the film and us at the dog’s perspective is able to provide. For many, the question of what happens to the dog in a horror film (or any film for that matter) can make the concept of a film like this upsetting, but rest assured that Indy makes it out relatively unscathed (at least for a horror film). It can be hard for an independent film like this one, filmed by a very small team and over so many years, to feel as high production as other movies on the big screen, but Leonberg hits that perfect balance. The movie has higher stakes moments when needed, but really leans into using what they had to make the movie and the characters within it feel real and believable. While Good Boy only clocks in at around an hour and twelve minutes and boasts a PG-13 rating, that does not mean that it doesn’t deliver on both the scares and the emotional impact. Good Boy truly is a love letter to Indy from his owner, and as a result the movie cannot help but make the audience feel so deeply about Indy and whatever is happening to his owner Todd. While some might say that there should be a push for a best actor nominee for Indy, I say we need a push for more movies made with and by people the directors love and are important to them. In a world oversaturated with remakes of countless franchises or books, let’s support and push for movies that show the beauty in the mundane and the familiar, movies about complex or messy family units, or movies about a beloved pet. If we can have more movie stars like Indy, we can feel much more connected to the world around us, especially in regards to our furry friends and all the secrets they might know about. If Indy and Leonberg have taught us anything with this film, it is to always believe that there might just be something there when your pet is seemingly staring off into space. Most importantly, however, Good Boy has taught us just how important it is to give your pets lots of love and remind them that they really are Good Boys and Girls, especially if you are choosing to move them into your grandfather’s run-down house that may or may not be haunted!