It has long been speculated (and widely believed) that animals possess special powers to sense things that we, as humans, generally cannot. This is particularly true of canines, and that belief is thought to contribute significantly to the loyal and protective bond that exists between us and dogs, the basis of their so-called designation as “man’s best friend.” That notion is now brought to life in writer-director Ben Leonberg’s debut feature, a smart horror offering that will melt your heart while giving viewers more than a few good scares along the way. When lovable pup Indy and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), move to a rural home, the insightful pooch quickly discovers that he and his master live in a haunted house, one that’s overrun by supernatural forces. Indy is quick to catch on that’s something’s amiss, thanks to his glimpses of spectral visions while awake and in his dreams. He does his level-best to warn Todd, but the language barrier obviously makes this difficult. Consequently, Indy attempts to protect his master despite ever-growing threats to their safety and well-being, as well as Todd’s mysteriously steadily worsening health. In some respects, “Good Boy” may seem like it’s rooted in a classic horror flick narrative, but I classify it as a smart horror offering thanks to its efforts to do something more with the story, in this case, a new spin, told from a different perspective, than what one typically finds in films from its root genre. The filmmaker also keeps the material fresh by using a variety of camera angles, featuring truly distinctive cinematography and editing techniques, efforts that helped the picture earn a well-deserved Independent Spirit Award nomination for best film editing, a rarity for movies of this type. The director also knew enough to keep this release from overstaying its welcome, coming in at an economical 1:13:00 runtime, long enough to successfully hold audience interest without belaboring its material or resorting to the inclusion of needless padding to stretch out the length. And, of course, there’s the star of the show, Indy, the positively adorable heroic four-legged protagonist who comes across like Lassie with a more personable, more lovable personality. Indy’s “performance” is truly impressive, too (even if it took the filmmaker four years to capture enough suitable footage to make the picture work, but kudos for his patience in working with a canine actor). As I’ve made clear on numerous previous occasions, I’m not an especially huge fan of horror movies, either because they’re boring, unoriginal and/or needlessly gratuitous. However, I’m becoming a true devotee of smart horror offerings like this, pictures that make a concerted effort to overcome those aforementioned shortcomings and give viewers watches that are genuinely more substantive and worthwhile. And what better way to accomplish that goal than by including a cute little tail-wagger? A movie like that is almost certain to get my vote, as this one most certainly does.
