The Dog Is the Hero in *Good Boy*—a Welcome Change for a Horror Film · Kinship

Warning: This text comprises spoilers, and solutions the burning query of whether or not or not the canine survives.

Each time a canine reveals up in a film, I instantly get nervous. From the second I study the lovable pooch’s title, my abdomen churns with dread, like a squeaky toy that’s fallen prey to a very tenacious set of jaws. 

You already know why. Everyone knows why. And so does the brand new horror film Good Boy, which premiered at South by Southwest in March and hits theaters Oct. 3. A narrative advised utterly from the canine’s perspective, this movie performs on one in every of our most deeply conditioned expectations: Whether or not it’s a horror filmopens in new tab, an earnest coming-of-age storyopens in new tab, or a romantic newlyweds picopens in new tab, chances are high, if we spend any period of time attending to know the canine finest pal, it’s as a result of they’ll quickly be lifeless. 

Thank God that Indy, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever we observe all through the movie, is excess of a sidekick. For as soon as in a horror film, the canine is just not the villainopens in new tab or helpless fodderopens in new tab for an early jumpscare. As a substitute, this pup is a full-fledged protagonist — and you’ll see that from how the movie is made.

There’s no placing Indy in a nook… even when he’s creepily watching one.

Director Ben Leonberg, who forged his personal canine as Indy, just lately advised CinemaBlendopens in new tab that he is aware of why so many individuals have Googledopens in new tab whether or not Indy survives the film. “I feel it does communicate to what horror films have educated us to suppose occurs to most canines in horror films,” he says. “Which is to say the entire movie is constructed on this trope of, ‘Hey, you know the way your canine may stare into an empty nook?’ Or, how in horror films, there’s that canine who’s at all times suspicious of the basement or suspicious of that bizarre previous neighbor?’ Often that canine in horror films does not make it out of Act One.”

However Good Boy has a lot greater plans for Indy than an inexpensive demise. From the very first scene, which opens on his sleeping face, we are able to see the main-character vitality oozing from Indy’s pores. From that time ahead, intelligent plot work and cautious cinematography firmly set up that this isn’t our resident canine guardian Todd’s story. As a substitute, this can be a tragic story wherein a beloved canine adjusts to the conclusion that his finest pal is dying — whereas additionally coping with the horrors of a seemingly haunted home.

Todd’s sickness is obvious within the very first scene, which pans from Indy waking as much as a buzzing cellphone, then to his dad, who’s sitting beside him on the sofa. As we quickly understand, Todd is unconscious and bleeding from his nostril. However fascinatingly, we don’t see Todd’s face. As a substitute, he stays at the hours of darkness whereas his sister finds him and calls an ambulance. Then, we minimize to a montage of Indy rising up with Todd from puppyhood, all through visiting him within the hospital. Todd’s face doesn’t present up on display till the very finish of the movie. And past refusing to offer us a human face to fixate on as a extra “relatable” participant, this opening scene grounds us within the private historical past that issues: Indy’s. 

As soon as Todd leaves the hospital, he phases an impromptu transfer upstate with Indy. Todd argues together with his sister Vera whereas pulling as much as their grandfather’s previous nation home and making an attempt to unlock the gate, however as soon as once more, Leonberg shifts the main target away from the human drama and stays locked on Indy, who stares by means of the automotive’s again windshield at an unseen however ominous entity we all know will hang-out his and Todd’s keep. As the 2 stroll into the home, Indy notices howling from the cellar — one other element his dad doesn’t appear to note. Notably, probably the most prevalent ghost we see within the movie is just not a human specter, however as a substitute Todd’s grandfather’s previous Golden Retriever.

Indy is the star of this film — in each method.

The dedication to Indy’s story goes deeper than plot. You can even see it within the path and cinematography. As a substitute of following Todd round the home, we monitor Indy’s strikes; as a rule, the digital camera stays at Indy’s eye degree. There may be nearly no dialogue, however Indy’s vocal vary is spectacular as he cries, whines, and barks his method by means of the terrors to come back.

Again and again, cinematographer Michal Dymek finds creative methods to border pictures round our canine hero, together with one notably hanging one the place Indy stares at us by means of the hole below a desk throughout the room, illuminated solely by lightning. Typically, when Indy and Todd share scenes, the canine’s physique stays in full view whereas Todd’s face and limbs get minimize off. 

One might even argue that the movie goes additional than merely casting a canine as its lead. In sure scenes, Good Boy appears to convey to life sure sensory and psychological experiences that our personal canines might face day-after-day. For instance, in a single notably hair-raising scene, Indy is cowering with Todd and growling in concern whereas Todd continues to pet his head. Instantly, Indy feels a black, slimy hand slithering down his face. However when he tries to battle it off, we see that he’s truly bitten Todd’s hand. 

This sort of misdirection is basic in human-centered horror films — like in Weapons, when Austin Abrams’ character, James, (spoiler) by chance stabs Archer (Josh Brolin), a grieving father, as a result of within the second, James believed he was being attacked by the villainous Aunt Gladys. However as Todd fumes over Indy’s chunk, the scene takes on a deeper which means. It’s not unusual for canines who present early indicators of discomfort (like, say, growling) to show aggressive when these early cues go ignored.

And as comprehensible because it could be to really feel annoyed when a beloved pet snaps at us, canine mother and father can typically middle their very own reactions over the sentiments that made our canines behave that method within the first place. In that sense, one might learn the scene as only one extra instance of the emotional hole rising between canine and guardian, due to Todd’s sickness.

The slimy hand on this scene is an equally fascinating alternative. All through the movie, this noxious goo works as a metaphor for sickness, which could possibly be a intelligent illustration of how canines typically sniff out sicknessesopens in new tab, together with most cancers. When Good Boy ends, (spoiler), Todd succumbs to his illness. A supernatural pressure drags him into the basement, masking him in the identical spectral sludge that scared Indy earlier than. For the extra literal-minded amongst usopens in new tab, a slime-cigar may simply be a slime-cigar. However for many who take pleasure in digging for symbolism, this could possibly be yet another metaphor.

Indy’s story won’t have the happiest of endings, however given the destiny most horror-movie canines face, that is definitely an enchancment on the norm. Not solely does he survive, however he additionally shares a heartfelt goodbye together with his finest pal, Todd, who affirms that he’s a very good canine earlier than disappearing into the darkness. In the end, Indy goes dwelling with Vera, who will presumably care for him like she did throughout Todd’s preliminary hospital keep. Hopefully, there are various years (and many treats) of their future.