Good Boy
Directed by Ben LeonbergA 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.
Good Boy Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeat14h agoMy quick rating - 6.5/10. Very rarely have I seen a film come along that makes you question what’s going on inside the minds of animals, and Good Boy takes that concept to unsettling depths. Directed by Ben Leonberg, this supernatural drama follows Indy, a loyal dog who moves to a rural home with his owner, only to face unseen horrors lurking in the shadows. As the supernatural entities close in, it’s Indy—not the humans—who becomes the story’s emotional and heroic core. For a trained animal, Indy the dog delivers a performance that puts most human actors to shame. He expresses fear, sadness, loyalty, and bravery with nothing more than subtle gestures, expressive eyes, and finely tuned body language. It’s no exaggeration to say this pooch deserves a Best Actor nomination. We often take for granted that dogs can sense death, illness, and emotion—but this film explores what that might mean to them. Imagine perceiving mortality itself; Good Boy turns that concept into a quiet nightmare, framed through the eyes (and nose) of man’s best friend. Leonberg’s direction is nothing short of ingenious. He reportedly spent over 400 days across three years capturing Indy's performance with unparalleled realism. Nearly every shot is from the dog’s point of view, achieved by keeping the camera close to ground level—making the human world seem enormous, alien, and threatening. That choice pays off brilliantly, immersing us in a perspective that’s both intimate and terrifying. The decision to obscure human faces amplifies that immersion, forcing the viewer to emotionally anchor themselves to Indy’s experience. The film’s supernatural angle, while not groundbreaking in plot, blends traditional haunted-house tension with an existential twist: how does an animal perceive evil? The scares are measured but effective—fleeting shadows, eerie sounds, and the slow realization that Indy may be seeing what his human cannot. The editing and effects are crisp, with moments of haunting imagery that linger just long enough to crawl under your skin. Larry Fessenden’s involvement lends the film an indie-horror credibility, grounding its more experimental edges in something familiar for genre fans. But Good Boy isn’t just another ghost story—it’s a haunting, deeply original study of loyalty and fear through a non-human lens. Indy’s journey is emotional, sometimes heart-wrenching, and above all, believable. You genuinely feel his confusion, his courage, and his love. Good Boy is a small, strange, and beautiful film about a dog who sees too much of the darkness we ignore. It’s eerie, emotional, and unforgettable—proof that sometimes, the bravest souls in horror don’t have to speak at all. (Keeping it spoiler-free, but I think my hints in the review say what I believe was really going on in this flick)
- V18h agoGood, just not scary
- cultfilmlikerOctober 4, 2025Doggie Darko Paranormal Barktivity Underwhelming! Solid premise that could have been excellent with the right execution! The behind-the-scenes extra footage at the end was embarrassingly simplistic and felt condescending and genuinely out of touch lmfao oh wait. I just realized this is PG-13 and marketed for kids too. Okay it gets a pass bc of that I guess
- Bob Maitland21h agoA very different kind of movie, I thought it was enjoyable though I do like the odd obscure movie. I even had all the hair on my neck raise at one point. Lol
- Luca Tornabene21h agocringy, boring, excessively oniric and gimmicky. Not worth your time, trust me
- DOAN FSDOctober 8, 2025Nothing about this film was great other than the performance of the dog.
- DeadlyDuncan1d agoReally enjoyed it. Good take on a horror film. Indy the dog was fantastic in it. Story was a bit all over the place at some points. Typical horror moments but for a low budget film really well done and good unique perspective.
- Matthias_8122d agoWorth experiencing and admirable for its visual ambition and unique viewpoint, especially considering the fact that its centerpiece is a dog playing what is effectively the lead role. However, I feel the concept didn’t quite justify feature-length treatment. Good Boy is more interesting than impactful, and stronger in execution than in storytelling depth.
- Paul ShawOctober 12, 2025Indy is such a good boy and did a great job! Really good original story too
- Logan StremlowOctober 6, 2025The story struggles to move itself along at times, but otherwise perfection. Beautifully shot, 10/10 performance from the lead actor and easily the most innovative modern horror movie
- Felipe Roscoche2d agoOriginal and startling. Round of applause for the dog and for the trainers that made this possible.
- Chrysler212d agoWas a little slow but the dog was cute
- waj1273d agoIndy deserves an Oscar 👌🏼
- Jeffrey Hart3d agoNot scary at all. Pretty boring actually. Not worth the time.
- Tyler S5d agoIndy is a Good Boy! 👍👍 7/10
