Love Thy Neighbor

I don't watch a lot of movies but by accident tuned in "Love Thy Neighbour" on Sunday. Lately I end up tiring of movies and don't watch the complete show but I was pulled into the story and found it intriguing. I enjoy a good suspense but usually am freaked because they are too graphic or beyond belief...I found this story realistic and scary enough to put me on the edge of my seat without going beyond my scope of endurance. One part I found particularly unnerving was the idea that we are all looking for a secure place and that the actual threat can come right from within. I was satisfied with the resolution of the story and found the conclusion plausible and not contrived. All the plot tied together in the end. I would recommend this movie to my friends.

After a violent break-in and robbery, crisis-counselor Alexandra Paul (as Laura Benson) is disturbed by flashbacks. Her soccer-playing teen daughter Ksenia Solo (as Erin) has nightmares. Husband and father Gary Hudson (as Jim), often absent due to his work, decides to move the Illinois family of three to a gated community. Idyllic "Arbor Eden" is heavily secured; it has an entrance officer, coded doorways, and super-tough windows. As this is a "Lifetime" TV-thriller, you can assume they will be needed...

At first, all seems well. The family adopts smart cat "Fred" to replace their likewise named, and unfortunately murdered, dog. Problems involve missing furniture and overbearing neighbor Shannon Lawson (as Janis Rivers). In a custody battle with her ex, Ms. Lawson lives with painfully shy daughter Michelle Killoran (as Jenny), in a perfectly decorated house. As chicken-fed chubby as Paul is attractively thin, Lawson gets on her neighbors' nerves. Lawson deliciously bites into her role, helping make this one fun.

****** Love Thy Neighbor (2/26/06) Paul Schneider ~ Alexandra Paul, Shannon Lawson, Ksenia Solo, Gary Hudson

I don't know who wrote (above) that this movie is a "must see"... but whatever drugs they are on, they are pretty powerful.

The movie is about a psychopath neighbor who is intent on wrecking the ordinary lives of the main family. It's pretty tedious to watch. Unfortunately, the only reason I ended up watching it was because it got such a high percentage. Then I looked at the votes afterwards, and 18 of the 23 (at that time) were straight 10s. All the other votes were quite low. My boyfriend says this is quite possibly the crew and/or promoters of the movie. Either way, they did get me to watch the movie, and now I have to vote low. Sorry, it sucked.

I accessed this movie on this site for a friend. She was curious about it, since she had been in Toronto while they were shooting it (are any of these Lifetime flicks made anywhere but Canada or Seattle anymore?) -- and had met some of the cast.

By coincidence it was indicated as being shown again in a few days (Oct, 10/'07), and I was able to catch it -- and frankly was curious after seeing some of these comments.

It has the formula for which somebody at "Lifetine" obviously has a check-list -- where only some superfluous details in the particular story vary: (1) an initially friendly, even giddy, neighbor, who turns-out to be a raving sociopath; a disturbed "heroine," who at times is so banal as to diminish the degree of sympathy we might afford her; the husband who is something of an amiable doophus; dialog and several scenes which make the typical soap opera seem an intellectual presentation by comparison; to the inevitable child, sometimes annoying, sometimes (like here) a precocious catalyst to the story and the sociopath's actions.

There is also the further aspect to this particular story -- also not unknown to this genre -- where the family move, made following a "once-in-a-lifetime" dangerous experience, only finds worse in their new locale.

But, all-in-all, a bit fascinating in its predictable mediocrity, and watching the inevitable Jeckyll-to Hyde metamorphosis of the intrusive psycho

Sometimes this type flick rates, say 3 or 4 *'s. Give this one 5, because the acting is a bit better than most.

holy crap.i thought this was a great movie.it is a made for TV movie,but it is better than most TV movies,and even comparable to some theatrical releases.the premise is not new,family moves into a new community after a break-in at their old house, to start a new life.things seem great in the new community,but then things start happening.i won't say anymore except that there is a psycho stalking the family.and let me tell you,this psycho is really nuts.but what really elevates this movie is the acting.which i thought was fantastic.there's also lots of tension ans suspense to keep you unnerved.this is a very entertaining movie,deserving of a higher rating than it currently has.i've seen a few TV movies of the genre and this is one of the better 1's.my vote for 'Love Thy neighbour': 9/10