★★★ (3 out of 4)
As a dog dad myself and lover of all things canine, I thought I had already given the “movie dog of the year” prize to Krypto, the Man of Steel’s rambunctious super pooch in “Superman.” But Krypto, fond as I am of him, is a digital creation, computer generated down to his wagging tail and red cape.
This is not the case with Indy, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever making his film debut in the bone-chilling horror movie “Good Boy.” Indy is a real dog and reacts on instinct in ways the Actors Studio only wishes it could teach.
So come on, throw ‘Good Boy’ a bone. For 73 tense, terrifying minutes, the audience is one with a dog who knows what we can’t. Stick with this pup if you’re looking for horror with heart this Halloween.
This is the starring role. Indy is playing the heroic title character. Everyone else supports him. And the entire movie is seen through his perspective. Eat your heart out, Daniel Day-Lewis. You may have three Oscars, but Indy’s tour de force in “Good Boy” recently won him the inaugural “Howl of Fame” award at SXSW, the cool kids film festival at which the film’s trailer went viral and sent the wanna-see percentage soaring.
I guess you could call Indy a nepo baby since his owner is director Ben Leonberg, who cowrote the script with Alex Cannon and trained Indy with his wife, the film’s producer Kari Fischer, for the better part of three years to get the performance he needed.
Indy had me at hello. Or earlier since “Good Boy” opens with home movies of the real Indy’s puppy days, growing into his role as loyal companion to Todd (Shane Jensen). Todd and Indy are city boys, but now Todd is suffering from an undisclosed illness. Against the wishes of his concerned sister, Vera (Arielle Friedman), he’s decided to move to the remote, rundown New Jersey country house owned by his late grandfather (horror icon Larry Fessenden).
The house is haunted, of course, including by gramps. Indy knows that right away, as we see him react to things Todd can’t see, like the ghost of another dog and things that go bump in the night and slither around in what looks to be human form. Indy shows fear, but doesn’t run from it, not in his role as Todd’s forever protector.
No fair giving away the twists and turns that the plot throws at Indy. But this 35 pounds of courageous dog faces down every apparition, real or imagined. As viewers, we’re locked into what Indy sees and hears with a sharpness beyond human capacity.
“Good Boy” is an indie film with a low budget that shows, especially when the pace drags and you notice the lack of big-studio bells and whistles. It doesn’t need them. Not with Indy around. So come on, throw “Good Boy” a bone. For 73 tense, terrifying minutes, the audience is one with a dog who knows what we can’t. Stick with this pup if you’re looking for horror with heart this Halloween. The camera loves him and you will too. He really is a good boy.