Good Boy

When it comes to filling the role of horror-film protagonist, dogs could be considered the platonic ideal. Equipped with heightened senses and a preternatural knack for perceiving (if not understanding) subtle environmental changes, they’re mute witnesses to all manner of lurking threats, more sensitive to things that go “bump” in the night than their human companions. For his first foray into feature filmmaking, Ben Leonberg cast his own pet Indy in the starring role as the charismatic canine hero (also named Indy) whose point of view mediates the action, applying a cleverly cinematic twist to a timeless tale of intergenerational haunting. On the periphery of the narrative, and largely out of frame or out of focus, there’s Indy’s owner Todd (Shane Jensen), whom we meet en route to the secluded house he’s inherited from his late grandfather (played by Larry Fessenden in a memorable camcorder cameo), where he plans to convalesce while half-heartedly seeking treatment for an unspecified but ominously lingering ailment. As Todd and Indy’s tranquil coexistence begins to unravel with the intrusion of sinister, possibly paranormal forces, Leonberg’s craftily maneuvered camera hews closely to his dog’s low-angle vantage point, alternating point-of-view shots with stunningly expressive close-ups on the wide-eyed visage of the film’s vibrant, astonishingly gifted star performer. An IFC/Shudder release.