Man’s best friend in a whole new light
A few months ago while doom scrolling social media, I came across a trailer for an indie film titled Good Boy. The movie claimed to follow the story of a man’s (Todd) mental unraveling after moving into the haunted family home where his grandfather had died. However, what really caught my eye about this film was that the entire thing was shot from the point of view of a dog. Todd moves into the new home with his dog, Indy, who is immediately aware of a dark presence and embarks on a journey to save his best friend. After much anticipation, I had the opportunity to watch the movie in theaters and I left simply dying to review it. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
First off, I will be keeping the spoilers to an absolute minimum because I hate spoilers with a burning passion. Next, I am the kind of person who likes to save the “best for last” so to say. Thus, I will be getting my negative comments out of the way immediately. The biggest flaw with this film was hands down the CGI. It is imperative to keep in mind that this was an independent film, so it ended up with a budget of only about $750,000. For this reason, there was only so much the film could do in terms of special effects, and it showed. There were a few scenes that are best described as fakey, which really took away from the truly terrifying atmosphere the film creates. Additionally, the CGI that was used felt unnecessary, as though it could have been avoided entirely which may have been the better option. The only other qualm I had with the film was the way that Todd treated Indy. While there are a few moments where you can see that Todd truly loves Indy and cares for him, such as a flashback montage, overall he acts very cruel toward Indy. From the beginning of the film it is clear that Todd is suffering from a major illness, which is causing him stress, however, this does not dismiss the way he ignores and at times punishes Indy. I personally think the plot would have been more powerful if a better relationship had been cultivated between the two characters.
Other than these two notes, I really enjoyed the film. I found it to be refreshing and unlike anything I had ever seen before. Plus it was truly terrifying and included a few powerful jumpscares. The first aspect that really stood out was on the flip side of the poor CGI. The film found a plethora of other ways to induce horror in authentic and disturbing ways, such as playing on what the view cannot see. There was a great use of sound throughout the film that implied something just out of view or growing closer. This was very haunting and anxiety-inducing as a viewer. In addition to the use of noise, the camera shots were also superb. There were long, drawn out shots, which left you sure something would suddenly appear out of the darkness. But aside from generating fear, the camera shots were used in another very interesting way. Much of the film is filmed from the height of Indy, giving the viewer the sense that they are experiencing things from the point of view of a dog. Also, the face of Todd or the few other characters are very rarely shown. Both of these factors work together to emphasize that Indy really is the main character.
Now, aside from framing and plot, it is impossible not to talk about the wonderfully adorable Indy. Played by the director’s dog by the same name, Indy makes the film incredibly emotional and powerful. Somehow this dog out-acts a fair deal of human actors I have seen, which I find astonishing. At the end of the film, there is a short message from the director where he shares some behind the scenes fun including how they worked with Indy, who had no training and, as the director reminds us, “had no idea he was in a movie”. This message further impressed me as I learned that the film took over three years to make, as many of the scenes were shot by the director and his wife in their home. Sometimes a single moment in the film took all day to film, which shows a dedication to the art of filmmaking that I find inspiring. Plus, it provided the audience an additional chance to enjoy the adorable Indy and it was comforting to see that he was in fact very relaxed during filming, counter to the emotions he seems to present during the film.
Good Boy was a surprisingly powerful tale about friendship and loyalty that left me feeling incredibly moved. I had not expected to have such an emotionally raw reaction to this film when I first sat down in theaters. But after walking out, I felt like I had not only experienced a marvelously new sub-genre of horror, but I also had a greater appreciation for the phrase “man’s best friend.” If you find yourself with the opportunity to watch this film once it becomes available on streaming, I would highly recommend it. Not only for its unique perspective, but for the heartfelt message it highlights. I certainly know that I have a new-found adoration for my own crusty little white dog waiting for me at home.