Into the Dark: Good Boy Film Review

Into the Dark: Good Boy

Dir: Tyler MacIntyre

Starring: Judy Greer, McKinley Freeman, Steve Guttenberg, Ellen Wong and Chico as Reuben the Dog

I’m going to be honest; I haven’t had a real desire to watch Hulu’s Into the Dark series. Which is bizarre because I love holidays (basically the concept behind the Into the Dark series) and horror.

Then I saw the trailer for “Good Boy.” Finally, Judy Greer gets her own spotlight in what looks like a horror comedy with the most adorable dog? Grab me a glass of wine and popcorn, I’m in. 

When we first meet Maggie Glenn (Judy Greer), we learn she is struggling in the dating scene at 39 and her biological clock is loudly ticking away. Then after 12 years as a seasoned journalist, she is forced into freelance work and a part-time job at a coffee shop to make ends meet. Basically, she is stressed, anxious and struggling. Greer’s performance makes it incredibly easy as a woman to empathize with her character.

A stroke of good luck then comes Maggie’s way when she is encouraged by her boss (welcome back Steve Guttenberg) to adopt an emotional support dog. Viewers get a short, sweet scene at the adoption center and a montage of Greer becoming the ultimate dog mom to Reuben.

Then the fun starts to happen. Unbeknownst to Maggie, Reuben is more than she bargained for as he is not what he appears to be. The emotional support end of the deal takes a deadly turn as Reuben undertakes Maggie’s many anxieties, such as dating douche-bags and dealing with an unfair land lady, by eliminating them with bloody force.

Once Maggie discovers her land lady’s body and the truth about Reuben, she does her best to keep him calm and locked up to prevent further deaths. She also begins to date a cop (McKinley Freeman) she meets while working at the coffee shop, foreshadowing that all good things may come to an end. 

Finally feeling at ease with Reuben, Maggie loses her shit when she is only paid $250 for her freelance work. She drives over to boss’ office with Reuben in tow and Greer finally saying “Good boy” when Guttenberg is taken out. 

Life starts looking good for Maggie as she is promoted to her boss’ position, she quits the coffee shop, her relationship with the cop is thriving and she undergoes IVF treatments to finally have that family she always wanted. 

But anxiety never fully leaves Maggie’s side and becomes her undoing as the California police force is hot on her trail for Reuben’s murders and an unfortunate demise pops her perfect world bubble. In the end, Reuben is back at the shelter, ready to take on emotional support elsewhere.

“Good Boy” is a fun hour and half watch. It’s by no means deep but is an enjoyable and creative story around the horrors of anxiety. There are times when the director tries to be artsy with his filming but it doesn’t quite work and feels out of place for such a simple production. 

But I what I really applaud the writers and director for is not using the “crazy woman” troupe to ultimately explain all the death. SPOILER ALERT: As cute as Reuben is, he actually is the real monster. 

If you’re looking for something a little quirky, somewhat heartwarming, and full of blood, add “Good Boy” to your streaming list.

Theresa's Rating

3.5 out of 5.00