Good Boy ending explained: What is the point of this Norwegian horror film?

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Norwegian film, Good Boy. Reader discretion is advised.

Good Boy, the Norwegian film, is an unnerving psychological horror-thriller. Some might consider it a nightmarish investigation of abusive relationships. Others may see it as a darkly comedic indictment of problematic s*xual fetishes. Before diving into the specifics, let's briefly understand what it's about. Here's the plot synopsis, per IMDb:

"Christian - a millionaire heir, meets Sigrid - a young student, on a dating app. They hit it off quickly, but there's only one problem: Christian lives with Frank, a man who dresses up and constantly acts like a dog."

Viljar Bøe has written and directed this torture horror flick that is as creepy as the premise suggests. It does not give us much information about Christian or Sigrid's past besides what they tell each other. So, most of what we learn about them is through what they reveal to one another. That leaves plenty of room for lies and deception, which becomes the fodder for its mystery.

At the end of Good Boy, Sigrid returns to Christian's house to save Frank but to no avail. Christian holds her hostage, and just like Frank, she starts living as a dog. The final moments show a baby crawling to eat from a dog bowl.

The ending of Good Boy leaves the door open for interpretations and speculations. Let's analyze what the film tries to say through its storyline.

Why does Christian hold Frank hostage?

A still from Good Boy, the Norwegian horror film (Image via YouTube/@RottenTomatoesINDIE)

Christian is an heir from a wealthy family who has lost his parents. He lives alone in a lavish house with a man who dresses up as a dog. Sigrid learns this only after spending a night at his house. He innocently says, "Frank is a dog," claiming Frank willingly lives in a dog costume 24×7.

Christian later claims that, as a kid, he had friends only because he was rich. He argues that he and Frank got closer because of their mutual loneliness. However, eventually, Frank tells Sigrid that Christian is a two-faced man who hides his depravity under a facade.

Unlike what Christian claims, he keeps Frank hostage because that offers him a sense of control. Why as a dog? Probably because dogs are often loved for their obedience. So, this wicked power dynamic gives him dopamine in his ego trip.

Then, why does Sigrid still go out with Christian?

Sigrid goes on almost a blind first date with Christian. That's because she wants them to get to know each other in person. If they reveal more in text, she feels they might not have enough to talk about. However, the morning after this date, she learns about Frank. So, she gets creeped out and rushes back home.

Her friend, Aurora, reveals that Christian is a multi-millionaire by birth. It opens Sigrid up to the possibility of a relationship with this handsome man, who is otherwise shy and charming. So, she considers the dog thing his fetish and chooses not to shame him for it. That makes her want to keep going out with him. Frank tells her about his abuse a while later.

What's the point of Good Boy and whose baby is it in the end?

Sigrid ignores Christian's red flags because of his sophisticated demeanor, which hides his manipulative tendencies. So, Good Boy serves as a cautionary tale and an unsettling representation of similarly abusive relationships that thrive on deception and an urge for control.

Even if the ending (that shows her returning from the woods) isn't logical, it ties in with this subtext of power and control. It indicates the psychological hold in similarly abusive relationships.

The baby in the final moments of Good Boy, who eats from a dog bowl, is most likely Sigrid and Frank's. That makes sense considering Christian's freakish sense of control over them both. So, he might have forced them to breed.

Some might argue that it is Christian's baby because an earlier scene shows Sigrid throwing up. However, she throws up after waking up to his disgusting truth, not necessarily because she is carrying a baby. Also, motion sickness seems too early of a sign since they slept together.