GOOD BOY: Man's Best Friend Takes a Starring Role
Written by Steph Cannon 11.21.2025
Dogs have been regarded as man’s best friend for as long as can be remembered. They’ve evolved from predators who had to be tamed by our ancestors, to the spoiled, pampered, beloved pets who reside in nearly half of all households today.
Many are fine with watching a film where a person is tortured, maimed, and brutally killed; but if there’s a dog in the story…well, they better not be harmed in any way. It’s an intriguing study into the human psyche, and how highly we regard our furry, four legged companions.
Good Boy, directed by Ben Leonberg, with a script by Leonberg and Alex Cannon, takes an ingenious and original take on that love we have for canines with the simple question of “what if the scary story was centered on the dog?”
Right from the start, we see that the main human character, Todd (Shane Jensen), is dealing with a serious sickness, after his sister, Vera (Arielle Friedman), finds him unconscious in his home. Once he’s released from the hospital, the obviously still ill Todd leaves with his canine best friend, Indy, to convalesce in his late grandfather's long-abandoned, isolated home in the woods. What could possibly go wrong?
Indy (played by very good boy, and Leonberg’s real-life pet Indy) is inherently loyal to his owner, and gleefully joins him on this excursion to the creepy old house. From here, the entirety of the film centers nearly completely on Indy and his perception of what happens.
We quickly get the sense that not all is right with this dilapidated cabin in the middle of nowhere (who would’ve thought?). What sets Good Boy apart from so many other horror stories with similar plotlines is the simple fact that the audience experiences everything through Indy himself. Every weird sound, every elongated shadow, and every menacing shape is seen completely from the viewpoint of this dog, which leaves the audience to wonder if this is all exaggerated, or completely authentic.
While attempting to recoup, Todd spends the majority of the remaining runtime coughing and struggling to remain upright. He copes by endlessly watching old VHS tapes that he finds in his grandfather’s home. Meanwhile, Indy is plagued by nightmares of menacing figures stalking him, while also uncovering real-world anomalies like mud covered creatures lurking in the woods. Since Todd is nearly incapacitated, it’s up to Indy to serve his master well and find a way to save them both from the malevolent forces at hand.
The concept of Good Boy, along with the majority of its execution, is exceedingly original. How have we never encountered a horror story where the viewpoint is mainly from an animal until now? For most of the film, we never see Todd in his entirety. Instead, we see what Indy would- mostly Todd from the torso down.
There's no arguing that Indy is the star of this movie. How the creators managed to capture such varied, raw emotion from a dog is an undeniable feat. We truly see Indy exude every feeling from fear, distrust, anxiety, and love.
Leonberg’s cinematography also plays a huge role in the overall storytelling. He somehow manages to take low, subjected POV shots and turn them into sweeping, fluid movements that are undeniably captivating.
The only drawback to the film is that it drags in the middle of its 76 minute runtime. While the novelty of the subject matter, camera angles, and Indy’s preciousness carry the watchability, it still could have served from enough edits to make this a short film instead of a feature length venture.
Despite that, this remains a unique viewing experience for any movie buff to watch with their best friend - be it human or animal.
EXCLUSIVE REVIEW
EXCLUSIVE REVIEW