GOOD BOY
Starring: Indy, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, and Larry Fessenden
Director: Ben Leonberg
QUENTIN
Weapons and its director, Zach Cregger, have (rightfully) dominated the horror conversation recently, but both director Ben Leonberg and his feature debut, Good Boy, need to be mentioned right alongside them. Seriously, and surprisingly, this is one of the best and most creative horror movies in years thanks to Leonberg’s brilliantly novel direction and — I’m not even joking — perhaps the best performance of the year. Yes, I’m talking about Indy the Dog. I felt every bit of the pup’s fear, confusion, anguish, and concern, which drives an effectively innovative horror experience that is spookily disorienting and oddly heartfelt. Good boy!? Very good boy…
AMARÚ
While Indy the Dog is one of my favorite performances to watch this year, his work also happens alongside overly dramatic voice-overs from his human counterparts. Although the cute hook is enough for me to turn on this uniquely delivered horror film, it isn’t enough to make Good Boy a good movie. Watching a sick human slowly break down from Indy’s perspective is as mundane as it sounds, and typical horror tropes like sharp music cues, dark shadows, and distorted figures in the background only solidify that this is nothing more than a slowly paced, uninspired scary story with a fur-filled, glossy sugarcoat.
NICK
All the hype you’ve heard about Indy the Dog is justified, as he is absolutely the reason to watch Good Boy. Now, you could make the argument that strategic editing plays just as big a part, but let’s not take credit away from this good boy. Beyond Indy - and some great video game-style third-person camera shots - I wish there was more here. The human performances don’t match the canine, and despite feeling all of Indy’s emotions, Good Boy doesn’t exactly give you reason to feel your own. I love the creative swing (much like In A Violent Nature), but it could’ve been better.
KATIE
Good Boy is an entertaining, emotionally engaging horror film with a refreshingly unique premise. The genuinely moving performance from Indy the Dog, who is incredibly expressive and compelling all impressively without the aid of CGI, is the heart and soul of the film. It excels at maintaining tension and building suspense with minimal dialogue, thanks to its simple premise, Indy’s performance, as well as effective editing and a tight 73-minute runtime. Director Ben Leonberg finds creative ways to solidify focus with Indy, and I really enjoyed this strangely sweet, but very spooky, tribute to man’s best friend.
ROBERT
When the premise of Good Boy was described to me, I immediately thought of Courage the Cowardly Dog. While the gesturing and talking are toned down, the terror and the need for protection bleed through in Indy the Dog’s inspiring performance. The thematic elements of the haunting, which coincide with the illness of Todd, Indy’s owner, are effective and chilling, and the technical wonder of using the cameras to see from Indy’s perspective keeps you invested. I wish, despite the job they do to make us understand Todd’s plight, that they had made him and his sister more sympathetic; however, overall, the whole is greater than the sum.
This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantasy Filmfest 2025.