Check it out.

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When I hear there’s a movie that puts a new spin on an old genre I immediately roll my eyes. It’s not that I’m some geezer who hates what the kids are doing these days, but all the “new spin” style of films are usually terrible. Let’s spice things up a little and not just swap out a character for the director’s daughter. Or, as I’ve pointed out in other reviews: Make a new movie.

However, in the case with Good Boy, the first feature by long time short filmmaker Ben Leonberg, this new spin does work and work really well. The movie is a basic haunted house story but seen from the perspective of a dog. The loyal and obedient Indy (playing himself) does a stellar job of convincing the audience that it knows something the owner doesn’t and the movie really proves that editing is crucial. I’m not going to go crazy and say Leonberg has redefined the genre or is the new face of horror, but his movie definitely works and is entertaining. At the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want?

_{Indy (himself) senses there is something wrong with this house.}

Todd (Shane Jensen) is diagnosed with an incurable illness and he wishes to spend his remaining days at his grandfather’s old home. The home was willed to him when grandfather (Larry Fassenden) passed away and Todd never did much with the home, but darned if he won’t pack up his lovable dog Indy (as himself) and head over there. During a phone conversation with his sister Vera (Arielle Friedman) we learn that grandfather was a dog lover who took in strays all the time. There’s countless home video videos of him playing with the dogs and working around the house. But, there’s an eerie catch: No dog has stayed in the house longer than a few weeks.

Immediately, Indy starts to sense this house is up to no good. There are dark figures everywhere, trouble is on the horizon and the forces that be want Indy out and Todd to them. Indy does his best to convince Todd that they need to leave, but how do you do that when you’re a dog? The darkness grows darker and Todd gets sicker, but he can’t leave the house. As the days go by, Todd becomes more agitated and even violent towards Indy. The dog knows it’s the house, but the human thinks it’s the illness. As tensions rise, and phone calls with Vera become more concerned, it’s hard to make out what will happen next. 

_{Kari Fischer (producer); Indy (star) and Ben Leonberg (co-writer/director).}

Sounds kind of like The Haunting with a dog? Well, yeah it is. It’s a basic haunted house story that’s been seen 100 times in the past. However, it’s the sheer will and thriving power that made Good Boy what it is. According to the after credits behind-the-scenes interview, Leonberg and producer wife Kari Fischer shot the whole movie over a period of 400 days for several hours a day. Indy (who is their dog) is not an actor, so they had to have him respond to things as he would normally do. In order to sell the idea of Indy’s mood and acting range, the use of tonal montages and the Kuleshov effect were relied upon. Various images and b-roll give you the idea that the dog is scared, or panicked when in reality it was Indy sitting on a couch, bored or wanting a treat. 

Good Boy is the type of movie that is coming off of the success of sensory films like A Quiet Place. Although those types of movies came and went, they did have an impact on the genre. At this point, there really isn’t anywhere for movies to go but to other species. This one has proved that an old movie can learn new tricks. 

_{Baxter, the Classic American Movies dog.}

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Good Boy is now playing in theaters

Director: Ben Leonberg

Writers: Ben Leonberg and Alex Cannon

Starring: Indy, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman

Genre: Haunted house horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 72 mins

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