Image Credits: Saban Films via IMDB
Contains Spoilers
Ah, yet another classic love story for the ages. Love floats in the air when a handsome heir to a multi-billion dollar company, Christian, hits it off with a free-spirited college girl, Sigrid, after meeting on a dating app. Enchanted by his company, conversation and gentleness, Sigrid believes herself to be falling deeply in love with Christian every moment she is with him. However, there is just one small problem that presents itself in their relationship: Christian lives with a man who dresses and behaves like a dog.
This is the premise of the Norwegian film, “Good Boy,” (2022) also known as, “You, Me, and Frank” (2022). While the film is not popular among American audiences, the film is highly respected and praised among horror fans and critics. Earning an impressive 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is renowned for its fun performances, intense pacing and disturbing premise. Wanting to bring it to your attention, allow me to highlight exactly what makes this film worth seeing!
First, you cannot talk about the film without talking about the premise. Living with a man who behaves and dresses like a dog is definitely disturbing which the movie takes full understanding and advantage of. Immediately, the audience is on edge, fearing the “dog” named Frank has sinister intentions for the main characters. Instilling fear and distrust, the audience carries such sentiments with them throughout the film, never knowing what Frank is capable of. As the film plays out however, the premise is then flipped on its head when Frank secretly tells Sigrid she should leave Christian before it is too late. With this, the audience grows distrustful of both Christian and Frank as the seeds of doubt are planted, heightening the anxiety for Sigrid and her safety. Creating this sense of fear and distrust, the film excels at raising your anxiety and fear from beginning to end.
Second, aside from the premise, the next thing that is most likely to stay with you is the ending. After Sigrid discovers that Christian has ill intentions for her and is the reason as to why Frank is forced to live as a dog, she tries to escape from his clutches. The film ends with both Sigrid and Frank living as Christian’s dogs in captivity while Christian lives inside the house with a baby he is raising as a “puppy.” Now, I know, but stay with me. Debated heavily amongst audiences and critics alike, the one thing that can be agreed upon is that you will either love or hate the ending of the film. Leaving much to the imagination, the film is often criticized for its ambiguous ending that leaves more questions than answers.
Is the “puppy” the child of Sigrid and Christian? Were Sigrid and Frank forced to have the child? Why is Christian forcing these people to live as dogs? What is Christian’s intention for the child? These and many more questions remain unanswered, but to me this is not a problem. Instead of answering everything, the film forces you to think and ponder these questions, allowing you to come to your own conclusions. In instilling the fear and questions behind the ending and the characters, the film “Good Boy” stays with you because you want to know more rather than receiving a concrete answer that does not want to make you ponder the movie, making it an effective ending. If you are into horror films with disturbing premises and ambiguous endings, I would highly recommend that you watch this film which is free on Tubi!
*10/10
Layla Handy is a first-year English Major. 3001415@wcupa.edu