In a manner similar to Steven Soderbergh’s Presence, Good Boy assumes a unique perspective on haunted-house mayhem—namely, that of a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever whose loyalty to his master is put to the test by swirling supernatural terrors.

Hewing, ahem, doggedly to its protagonist’s POV, Ben Leonberg’s debut feature, which hits theaters Oct. 3, is a compact and clever riff on its chosen genre that refuses to play it safe with its conceit, exploiting its canine character’s unique headspace for disorienting and anxious suspense. With an aesthetic ingenuity to match its pooch’s impressively expressive performance, it’s a thriller that ably justifies its central gimmick.

In a gloomy apartment, four-legged Indy is awakened by a buzzing cell phone call from Vera (Arielle Friedman), t

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