Film Review: Good Boy—A Good Dog and a Haunted House

Cover Photo Credit: MOCEAN, Good Boy; edit by Daniel Burton

For most people a Halloween movie only needs to meet the single requirement: be scary. Good Boy (2025) meets this criteria through an unprecedented approach: the story is told from the perspective of a dog named Indy who moves into his owner’s late grandfather’s house—which is rumored to be haunted.

Earning $4.8 million in its first 10 days, the movie was a hit. It reached the point where the puppy protagonist (and his wonderful management team) wrote to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences suggesting that animals be considered in Oscar categories. In fact, Indy’s wonderful performance overshadowed a lacking plot and a terrible CGI monster. This may put some viewers off, but here are three important points to consider before disregarding Good Boy:

1. The same-old (but new)

This movie is filled with every horror cliche you can imagine—weird noises downstairs, moving to the dead grandpa’s haunted house—and when action does occur, the CGI is laughable rather than scary.

However, through the canine main character’s innocent, child-like decision-making, viewers encounter entirely new outcomes for common plot points, creating a fresh sense of anticipation. What happens when there is a weird noise under the bed, but instead of being separated by a mattress, you are laying right beside it on the floor? This new way of experiencing horror transforms tired horror tropes into heightened, original experiences that keep the viewer immersed. 

2. A challenge for dog lovers

If you are a viewer that worries more about the pets more than the humans in movies, this might not be the film for you … (spoiler) the dog does not die.

Indy faces various tense situations throughout the movie due to his unwavering loyalty and love for his owner, which both warms and tugs at the audience’s hearts.The strong emotional impact just goes to show how remarkable Indy’s performance, showcasing just how much potential there is in the art of dog acting.

3. Love for the art

Obviously, dogs don’t learn how to act on their own. Indy’s performance was only possible through extensive training, patience and creativity. Director Ben Leonberg and producer Kari Fischer, a married couple, deserve a long ovation for the three year filming and preparation process it took to create this one-hour and thirteen-minute movie. Their efforts succeeded in making their own dog, Indy (yes, they are his owners!) seem like a professional actor. Even for viewers not enticed by the film’s visuals, Indy’s performance, and the clear love of filmmaking that went into it, makes this movie worth watching.

Good Boy is a one-of-a-kind, pioneering movie in its genre that has shocked the film world with its originality and the dedication behind its making. Although not the best in technical or narrative aspects, it makes up for its weaknesses with its uniqueness and its protagonist’s adorable face—making it a movie worth considering.