A Haunting Glimpse into Canine Fear: Our Official Good Boy Review.
- Oct 11, 2025
- 3 min read
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From debut director Ben Leonberg, Good Boy (2023) isn't your average haunted house tale. In fact, its ingenious twist immediately sets it apart. Available on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video (as of its October 3rd release), this film centers its entire narrative through the eyes—and senses—of Indie, a truly exceptional dog actor who plays the titular "Good Boy." Joining Indie in glimpses, mostly via video footage, is the familiar genre face of Larry Fessenden, though the human element is deliberately blurred, pushing the focus squarely onto our four-legged protagonist. I was immediately captivated by the sheer audacity of the concept: what if our loyal companions aren't just staring at nothing, but actively sensing the unseen terrors lurking in our homes?
The brilliance of Good Boy lies in this unique point-of-view, transforming what could have been a run-of-the-mill ghost story into something genuinely fresh. Instead of relying on typical human reactions to bumps in the night—the rationalization, the skepticism, the eventual screaming—we witness raw, instinctual responses from Indie. His barks, his whines, his sudden retreats under the bed, or even his bold confrontations, offer a primal connection to the escalating dread. It’s a masterful stroke, allowing for moments of profound empathy where Indie's fear mirrors our own, yet also providing reactions that a human character simply couldn't deliver.
This isn't a film aiming for jump-scare overload, though a couple do land their punches. Instead, Leonberg crafts a deliberate slow burn, drawing us into Indie's world with visual storytelling and extended sequences of quiet observation. It's a testament to the film's confidence that it allows for these still, unsettling moments, letting the dread seep in rather than blasting it at you. However, the ultimate question for this Good Boy review is this: can a film so reliant on its central gimmick sustain its tension, or will its brevity reveal a core that’s less bark and more whimper?
