Of all the films playing at this year’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, Good Boy is perhaps the one that has generated the most pre-festival buzz. The premise of a man living in a dog suit grabbed the attention of the media and audiences everywhere. Only a few though have been lucky enough to watch it at the festival itself, but fret not if you have missed it at FrightFest as Good Boy arrives on digital platforms on 11th September.
Although the hook of Good Boy is almost certainly the lure of seeing a man living like a dog, writer and director Viljar Bøe does not rely on shock factor alone. Good Boy fits into the burgeoning sub-genre of horrors that highlight the perils of modern dating. Other recent examples include Bad Match, Fresh, and A Wounded Fawn, but none of them are quite as disturbing as Bøe’s creation.
Good Boy joins cash-strapped student Sigrid (Katrine Lovise Øpstad Fredriksen) as she matches with the handsome Christian (Gard Løkke). The two immediately hit it off and Sigrid ends up back at Christian’s place. The next morning Christian introduces her to his ‘dog’, Frank (Nicolai Narvesen) – a man who has decided that he wants to live as a dog. Uncomfortable by having to interact with Frank, Sigrid is about to end things, but then she discovers that Christian is a multi-millionaire heir and decides to give him another chance. As Sigrid tries to adapt to her new relationship and its odd accessory, she agrees to a weekend away with Christian and Frank, and then events get really strange…
A film best kept under wraps, Good Boy has plenty of twists and turns to keep the viewer wondering. The set-up is wonderfully executed, Bøe giving time for Sigrid and Christian to warm to one another. On paper the pair seem to be coming at life from different directions, and not just those brought on by their respective socioeconomic standings. Sigrid is quite happy to go with the flow; she’s bad at time-keeping and lives in a messy room. Christian is regimented and poised. His day is spent following a strict routine and exercise regime, he even counts his calories. Not because he is on a diet, but simply to keep himself in line. Somehow the pair still connect, their sexual chemistry doing much of the work.
Fredriksen and Løkke both give superb performances. As Sigrid, Fredriksen creates a character that the audience buys into and sympathises with. She even sells Sigrid’s decision to stay with Christian in spite of the Frank situation. Sigrid is trying to be open-minded, but her nerves are evident in each interaction with Frank. In their first proper encounter during dinner, Fredriksen expertly communicates Sigrid’s discomfort and anxiety without saying a word. As her story progresses, Fredriksen shows Sigrid’s hidden strength and cunning, making her more than a one-note damsel. Løkke plays Christian with a frisson of darkness. From his introduction at home exercising, something appears off about his character. His overly polite and attentive demeanour is at odds with this and Christian is hard to pin down. Løkke channels his inner Skarsgård, pulling off a similar performance to Bill Skarsgård in 2022’s Barbarian.
Together Fredriksen and Løkke sizzle. The addition of Narvesen’s mute dog creates an electrically charged atmosphere. Once everything is in place, Bøe pulls the rug out from under the viewer, setting in motion a nerve-shredding sequence of events. Bøe extracts maximum tension out of every scene, even the most mundane tasks like taking a shower are suddenly laced with threat. The more Good Boy forges on, the more extreme these sensations become. Come Good Boy’s conclusion, the viewer will be left sat in a cold sweat with a pit in their stomach. Featuring a jaw-dropper of an ending, from the moment it begins Good Boy is unlike anything else.
Good Boy
Summary
Worthy of all its hype, Good Boy takes the viewer on a tension laced thrill-ride full of unexpected developments.
Good Boy was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest. Good Boy arrives on digital platforms on 11th September.
