It’s typically stated that our pets have a sixth sense, seemingly in a position to detect issues past our notion and even predict loss of life. It’s a easy, although eerie rationalization for the cases the place we uncover our beloved pup staring intently at an empty nook in the midst of the evening or barking at nothing. Good Boy, the characteristic debut by director Ben Leonberg, who co-wrote the script with Alex Cannon, makes use of this phenomenon as the premise for his haunted home horror film. Framing the story completely from the attitude of man’s finest pal poses distinctive storytelling challenges however immediately creates a sustained feeling of unease and anxiousness over the pup’s wellbeing.
Good Boy opens with a standard haunted home scene, pretty much as good pup Indy turns into alarmed by a wierd, darkish temper that’s pervaded the cramped lounge quarters in the midst of the evening. His proprietor, Todd (Shane Jensen), begins bleeding and seizing, revealing this unsettling disaster isn’t supernatural however medical. The seriousness of Todd’s sickness quickly prompts him to surrender his residence and relocate to his Grandpa’s (Larry Fessenden) deserted nation house, cursed and haunted, based on Todd’s sister Vera (Arielle Friedman). That sickness additionally signifies that Todd doesn’t discover that one thing concerning the place is off, however Indy turns into acutely conscious that they’re not alone as its haunted historical past makes itself identified in more and more alarming methods.
Leonberg neatly establishes the tight-knit bond between Indy and Todd by way of house video footage charting their life collectively from Indy’s puppyhood to the current, the place the candy and obedient good boy dotes on Todd’s each transfer. That he’s such a quiet canine, vocalizing by way of gentle whimpers over barking, solely additional entrenches this tremendously proficient canine actor into your coronary heart. Leonberg additional retains concentrate on Indy by protecting the faces of his human characters largely obscured. The impact, after all, is that it places you deeply on edge, continuously burdened the extra it turns into obvious that hurt is on the way in which and that this house has tragically claimed the lifetime of a beloved pet earlier than.
As simple as Indy and his real-life proprietor, Leonberg, make it to comply with the pup alongside on this dread-inducing journey, the bold excessive idea isn’t with out its storytelling challenges when your lead protagonist can’t relay what he’s seeing. The one actual clues behind this atypical haunting come through cellphone calls between Todd and Vera and previous house movies that includes Grandpa. The foundations to this world’s model of ghosts are as murky because the ghosts themselves, and the metaphor behind them is usually at odds with the haunted home idea. Indy’s mild nature generally softens the impression of the scares, even while you’re apprehensive about his final destiny.
Nonetheless, it’s powerful to care concerning the narrative particulars while you’ve obtained a lead as winsome and empathetic as Indy, who effortlessly leads you thru proper to the bittersweet conclusion, one which makes it almost unimaginable to not stroll away with an excellent deeper appreciation for the utter devotion and loyalty our furry finest mates give to their human pack. Good Boy is full of shadowed corners, flickering lights, tormented ghosts, and even doggy nightmares, but it surely’s not likely a haunted home story. As a substitute, Leonberg crafts a considerate, unnerving, and heartrending portrayal of how completely terrifying it may be for a canine when his entire world is upended and unable to grasp why.
Good Boy made its world premiere at SXSW. Launch data TBD.
