Good Boy: Moviegoers shocked by 'heartbreaking' horror film starring a DOG as the main character

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A new horror film told from the perspective of a dog is dividing opinions online.
The indie horror movie Good Boy follows a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Indy who moves to a remote, rural farmhouse with his owner Todd.
Once there, Indy's canine senses pick up on a menacing, supernatural force that's trying to harm Todd, leaving Indy to try and save the day before it's too late.
While the film is already garnering great buzz on the festival circuit ahead of its theatrical release, some viewers are distraught over the thought of watching a dog in peril.
Following the release of the official trailer, moviegoers flooded the internet with comments about Good Boy and its leading pooch.
'If the dog dies, John Wick is showing up in the sequel,' joked one.
'Oh my god, the dog is so adorable. I'm stressed just watching the trailer. If something happens to him…' wrote another.
A third commented, 'I swear to God if something happens to this dog I will not be OK!'
Another wrote, 'This one is gonna hurt. My first dog witnessed some supernatural things in my home when I was a kid. It was a crazy time for us… I miss her so much.'
Good Boy had its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival in March, but will receive a wide theatrical release on October 3.
The film's star Indy also won an award for his performance.
Good Boy was directed by Ben Leonberg, who is also Indy's real-life owner.
In an interview with Filmmaker magazine, Leonberg said that he was inspired by a scene in the original Poltergeist movie that featured a golden retriever who was able to detect ghosts before the main characters did.
He also praised Indy, pointing out that his beloved pooch has an unnerving stare that was perfect for the film.
'He naturally has this really intense, unblinking stare. He usually hits you with it before meal time, but on the occasions when he's just staring at "empty" corners, or tracking smells only he can perceive… it's really spooky!' he said.
'I think every dog owner has wondered, or worried, why their dog barks suddenly barks for no reason, or stares at "nothing",' he continued.
'Indy doesn't know that many commands or tricks, but he is a really smart dog – he learned quickly that the camera meant he was supposed to do something.'
Leonberg also said that the low budget film was shot over three years.
'We filmed for over 400 days over the course of 3 years. It was an unconventional production by necessity and design,' he explained.
'Indy is our family pet, so we had to invent a way of filmmaking that embraced those limitations,' he continued.
'We were in a constant state of production those entire 3 years–either filming the few set-ups we could get each day, training Indy for future scenes, or building sets/gags for later use.'
The hard work appears to have paid off, with Good Boy getting glowing reviews from its initial screenings.
'What could have easily been a cheap gimmick instead provides the foundation for one of the best horror films so far this year,' wrote IndieWire.
'What comes across most strongly, and gives the film its emotional power, is Indy's unfailing loyalty to his beloved owner and his willingness do practically anything to protect him,' shared The Hollywood Reporter.
While spoilers for the film have been kept under wraps, one critic did hint at a potentially tragic end for Good Boy's four-legged star.
'Part of the film's terror, especially as it reaches its heartbreaking conclusion, is watching this furry innocent see its entire world come slowly crashing down around it, and not being able to comprehend why,' wrote a critic at RogerEbert.com.