I was approached to cover Good Boy and I try to be open minded when it comes to movies. I had heard absolutely nothing about it and was intrigued by the title. It premiered at Beyond Fest this past week and it had proved to be so popular it even got an additional screening. I don’t think I would have gone out of my way to see the movie if I hadn’t been approached about it but now that I’ve seen it I’m blown away by how good it is.
Good Boy was written and directed by Viljar Bøe and he was a completely unknown to me before this movie. After seeing the movie, I will keep an eye out for his name because Good Boy is an outstanding movie. The way he was able to make me care for the characters and then throw the massive curveball that he did which made me unsure of what was going to happen next. I was kept on the edge of my seat for the half hour of the movie.
Gard Løkke, Katrine Lovise Øpstad Fredriksen, Amalie Willoch Njaastad, and Nicolai Narvesen Lied are outstanding in Good Boy. I found myself being drawn in by Løkke’s performance. A lot of the early and late game of the movie relies on his performance and he delivers in such a way that the shift that happens in the later part of the movie is almost like a gut punch. Fredriksen is just as good in her performance. The chemistry she has with Løkke is outstanding and carries the entire movie. Lied is also amazing in his incredibly physical performance.
The score by Isak Wingsternes and Martin Smoge is amazing. The tonal shift in the final half hour is only heightened by the score. The score shifts perfectly with the story of the movie which makes it perfect for the movie. The set design is amazing in Good Boy. It really shows the difference between the characters and their backgrounds. That difference is also shown in the costume designs as well.
Good Boy is a fantastic movie that will grab you and not let go even after the movie’s over. I don’t know if its going to be getting release in the States, but I hope it gets a proper release in small run theaters, at the very least. If people can get past the subtitles, they’ll be drawn into it much like I was. If you get a chance to see Good Boy, I recommend it wholeheartedly. I give Good Boy 9.5 collars out of 10.