The Girl Next Door

There are so many girls next door - you can't keep track of them. And while I thought about it, I reckon most of us have one of them. Depending on where you lay the bar that is of course. Not that you won't be judged the same way mind you.

That aside, this is a decent thriller, that did not exactly go as I expected. Even having some moral ambiguity to it. Apart from the sexual attraction our main male character does something else that is awful ... way more awful than being attracted to a beautiful young woman (girl) ... but something that the movie is not really paying too much attention too. Or at least it does not judge him on it - it lets the audience do that ... if they do that.

Gary Busey playing a straight character was also a sight to be seen ... well surprises can happen.

I found this an effective, low-keyed thriller with a thought-provoking sidebar, i.e., the lead character's moral dilemma: does he confess to one "crime" which may lead to being tried for a larger crime he did not commit? A minor tour-de-force for protagonist, Henry Czerny, who has his own take on Robert Redford's "uncomfortable look;" whereas Redford's is largely cerebral, Czerny has his churning guts (guilt, guilt)emerge through his eyes.

Film is also well-directed by veteran Till who knows something about pacing and editing (he knows what to leave out and when, which I appreciate) as well as establishing mood. He must also have a feel for film noir since he does a nice job with Czerny's trapped man role. The basic plot line is nothing out of the ordinary, but Till and company invest it with some inventive twists and shadings, such as how Czerny must deal with an incriminating video cassette and the person who views it. There's also a convincing sense of the town with its affluent trappings. Admittedly, the revelation of the real murderer is somewhat unsatisfying but is followed through with thought and imagination.

Up until this review, voting had been at 4.8, which makes it seem underrated to me. I saw it while sick at home and it grabbed my attention while I dozed or slept through other movie offerings. If you like quiet suspense films with noir overtones, you might this worth your time.

Here's a familiar theme: an older physician has an affair with a young beauty while his wife is pregnant. She is murdered. He's now a suspect. Her parent's are good friends of his. They can't know what happened. Oh dear! She took a video of him after the act. He's gotta get his hands on it!

Even though her ex-boyfriend was stalking her before the murder, no-one suspects him! Incredible! They all suspect the NEW mysterious lover, but they don't know his identity. Oooh!

Alright, aside from a very predictable plot and a theme that has received overkill from Hollywood, it's an alright flick to watch if there's nothing else good on t.v.

A married doctor with a pregnant wife is asked by his neighbour to keep an eye on his daughter while absent for a few days, ensuring that no harm comes to her. A simple request... The good doctor agrees... but there are unbelievable consequences.

The daughter becomes attracted to the good-looking doctor and one night they enjoy sex on her sofa. The doctor decides that this kind of behaviour should stop but he continues to drop in as promised. When the daughter is found strangled one morning, the doctor becomes the prime suspect.

The most exciting moment in the film is when the frantic doctor attempts to retrieve a video film of himself half-naked in the girl's living room, a scene highly incriminating. Against the wishes of his attorney, the doctor decides to make a clean breast of it and in court reveal the true facts. Important evidence seems to be the green thread found underneath the dead girl's fingernails. It is not difficult to spot the guilty person.

None of the suspicious characters loitering around the girl's windows have any real motives for her murder. The final explanation is acceptable. On the whole an above average thriller.

This one drew me right in..... Several great twists and turns with excellent acting and perfect music to go along with this film.

It is listed as a thriller but it took some time for me to figure out it actually IS a thriller when at first I was thinking it was going to be just a drama.

The actors all did sucha a superb believable job.

Every time I thought I had it figured out, I found that I did NOT.

At first I thought it was going to be just some boring Lifetime movie that my wife would enjoy.... Haha.... But I ended up being very much wrong!!

Definitely give this one a look!! Great ending too, IMO.