For too long, we’ve seen humans get to be the heroes (and often villains) or horror movies. Dogs, however, have routinely gotten the short end of the bone. It’s all werewolves and Cujo, the Stephen King story about a rabid dog. Thankfully, Good Boy is changing that, and you can watch it this month on Shudder. (And no, we’re not talking about the 2020 Blumhouse/Hulu movie starring Judy Greer, though that’s also fun.)
Good Boy hails from IFC Films and pits a hero dog against the ghosts haunting the home where he (Indy) and his human (Todd) live. The film’s synopsis explains that after moving into a new house, “Indy is immediately vexed by empty corners, tracks an invisible presence only he can see, perceives phantasmagoric warnings from a long-dead dog, and is haunted by visions of the previous occupant’s grim death.” Then, when Todd starts losing himself to the evil in his house, it’s up to Indy to save the day.
Of course, the movie is about much more than a dog taking on a haunted house. Director Ben Leonberg spoke with Polygon about the film and how and why it ends the way it does. He summed the story up thusly: “[Good Boy] just imagines the shoe being on the other foot. What would it be like for a dog who is sensing an ever-growing, closer and closer, invisible, dark force? What would that story be like for them?”
In addition to directing Good Boy, Leonberg also produces with his wife, Kari Fischer. The real star, though, Indy, is merely playing himself. He’s actually Leonberg and Fischer’s own dog, which might technically make him a nepo puppy. Per a press release that rightly chose to focus on the dog, Indy “is a middle-aged, 35-pound retriever who has no idea that he’s a movie star…or does he? His favorite things are fetch, food, and his humans, Ben & Kari — in that order.” He’s also good at finding tennis balls and staring you down until you feed him dinner. Typical Hollywood behavior, if you ask us.
Good Boy had a short theatrical run in October, earning over $8 million on a budget of only $750,000. It was also well received critically, with a 90% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now Good Boy comes to Shudder on Nov. 21, just in time to sit down and watch it with the family for Thanksgiving. Who needs the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when we can watch Indy save the day?
- Security Camera Installation – indoor/outdoor IP CCTV systems & video analytics
- Access Control Installation – key card, fob, biometric & cloud‑based door entry
- Business Security Systems – integrated alarms, surveillance & access control
- Structured Cabling Services – voice, data & fiber infrastructure for new or existing builds
- Video Monitoring Services – 24/7 remote surveillance and analytics monitoring
Author: 360 Technology Group
