GOOD BOY – Review

It’s October. That means fall colors, pumpkin spice in everything, and a spate of pre-Halloween horror flicks. GOOD BOY has a golden retriever named Indy (real name and stage name) as its unlikely star. His owner, Todd (Shane Jensen)  apparently has terminal cancer. He decides to go to his late grandpa’s isolated home for his final days over the objections of his concerned sister, Vera (Arielle Friedman). The couple of locals we meet warn about the haunted history of the place, even during the life of his hermetic ancestor. Todd and Vera were never fond of the old curmudgeon. Upon arrival, Indy ain’t none too thrilled with the vibe of the place, neither.

For 72 minutes, we watch a stream of things going bump in the night, with inexplicable sounds and shadowy movements on the edges of the camera’s view, building to what will probably be an unhappy fate for Todd, at least. The novelty lies in the dog either providing the POV or being in frame for the entire movie, with human faces only rarely seen. Indy’s expressions range from occasional joy in his unconditional love for Todd to prevailing reactions of concern or fear, as the nature of the menace remains as unclear to him as to the oblivious Todd or the baffled viewer.

I’m a big fan of Goldens. I’ve owned three and my daughter, two. That fondness allowed me to keep going with the AIR BUD series longer than otherwise warranted. This one’s a 180 from those, with Indy’s role as realistic in the moment  as can be under such circumstances. He’s photogenic and expressive enough to carry the dramatic and suspense loads.

But the script is a letdown. Either we never learn what’s behind the phenomena, or I just plain missed it. In a couple of weeks, returning readers will see the same complaint in my review of another seasonal release, OTHER. Where’s a Jason or Freddy Krueger of the story when you need one?   It wouldda helped.

RATING: 2 Out of 4 Stars

GOOD BOY opens in theaters on October 3, 2025.