Good Boy is a 2025 film that follows a dog, Indy, in his struggle to save his human, Todd, from supernatural forces. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of this movie for months. I was so excited that I watched it on opening night. My thoughts on the movie were positive overall, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone.
Without giving too much away, the movie opens with Indy waking up to Todd’s medical emergency. His sister, Vera, quickly comes to his rescue, and a montage showing Indy’s puppyhood and Todd’s experience in the hospital ensues. When Todd is released from the hospital, he decides he needs a change and moves into his grandfather’s old “haunted” house (with Indy, of course). From then on, Indy has mysterious encounters with what seem to be supernatural forces.
True to its description, this movie truly takes place from a dog’s point of view. Whatever Indy sees and hears is what viewers see and hear. Other than the fact that viewers can most likely read and understand English, what goes on with the humans in the story when Indy isn’t there is entirely unknown (though it could be inferred). The human characters are also vaguely obscured; their faced are never shown completely or directly, emphasizing the importance of the canine characters.
Though Indy survives the entire film, there are still certain parts that could be considered disturbing or upsetting. For example, one day, Todd leaves Indy alone in the house, making him visibly (and audibly) anxious. The scene seamlessly transitions from day to night, suggesting that Indy was waiting for Todd in the same place all day. In a few instances, Todd becomes frustrated with Indy and pushes him away. I knew Indy would survive, but it was certainly depressing to watch him seem scared and confused.
This movie is also quite short; it is one hour and 12 minutes in length. A substantial portion of the movie is dedicated to building suspense, which could be considered boring or unsatisfying to some viewers. However, considering that dogs have an attention span of approximately zero seconds, it makes sense that it would be difficult to acquire enough footage for a two-hour movie.
There are two things that I blatantly disliked about this movie, and one of them is the special effects. They were not very convincing, although considering how few people were involved in its production, it makes sense that the special effects (which were used sparingly) would be lacking. The other thing I disliked was a scene in which Todd was apparently feeding Indy popcorn from his mouth. Gross.
The movie’s finale is somewhat ambiguous, leaving much to be theorized and assumed by viewers. Though it becomes increasingly intense and bizarre, the “hauntedness” of the house also comes into question as the movie progresses. One could argue that it was never haunted, and Indy’s strange encounters with the paranormal were just manifestations of his struggle to come to terms with his human’s chronic illness.
After the final scene is a brief credit sequence featuring Indy’s face hanging out of a car window in the background. For those who make it through, there is a glimpse into what happened behind the scenes. Director Ben Leonberg, who is also Indy’s real-life human, explains the process of filming the movie, highlighting the fact that Indy is a dog who has no idea he is a movie star. Despite his range of expression and apparent reactions throughout the movie, Leonberg explains that what Indy is actually feeling is quite different from how it seems on screen. He also discloses that the recording process took three years and includes bloopers of Indy and his apparent lack of cooperation, reminding the audience that he is still a dog and not an A-list actor. It also becomes clear that editors made significant use of color grading and lighting tricks to give the film an eerie aura.
I give this movie a 9/10 overall. Its unique concept, ambiguity, and adorable leading actor are strong points that set it apart from other movies. On the other hand, the special effects, clarity, and human acting leave some to be desired. If you can handle sad dogs and spooky themes, I highly recommend it.