Algumas Portas Nunca Deviam Ser Abertas

The 2005 Norwegian thriller "Naboer" (aka "Neighbours", but somehow got the English title "Next Door") turned out to be a rather enjoyable movie.

I hadn't heard about "Naboer" prior to this late in 2019, when I happened to stumble upon it and took the time to sit down and watch it. I didn't know whom was starring in it, what it was about, or anything aside from knowing it was Norwegian and that it was a thriller.

When I saw that Kristoffer Joner starred in the movie, then I must admit that my expectations to the movie suddenly went from being none to actually having high hopes for the movie. Why? Well, because he is really a good actor and he is great at handling different types of characters.

I will say that I was entertained, thoroughly and properly entertained by what was presented by writer and director Pål Sletaune, not to mention some stellar acting performances put on by Kristoffer Joner, Julia Schacht and Cecilie A. Mosli.

The movie is a type of thriller that definitely will have the audience in an iron grip and have the audience trying to figure out what was going on. And the way that director Pål Sletaune built up the story and the atmosphere was just brilliant, and it worked so fabulously in favor of the movie.

If you find yourself given the chance to sit down and watch "Naboer", then you should definitely do so, because this is a very enjoyable thriller. I am rating it six out of ten stars.

A Norwegian thriller to challenge any American made thriller. This was a movie not to be missed. For any fans of truly disturbing psychological thrillers, "Naboer" is right up there on the "must see" list. To call this film a "psycho-sexual" thriller is to put the term mildly. The film concerns John, a man whose apparently cheating girlfriend leaves him to be with her new boyfriend. After grieving her loss for a very short while, he comes upon two girls who are his next door neighbors. When coming home from work one evening, one of the girls, Anne, requests a favor of him in her apartment. He reluctantly obliges and thus begins a truly extravagant mind-twister. John finds Anne and her roommate Kim to be a bit odd, and potentially mentally off-balance. As he decides to leave their apartment abruptly, it is too late as their entanglement has already begun. Anne finds John the next day and again requests a favor - to watch over her "sister" next door, as she is not to be left alone due to some previously dire incident. Upon entering their apartment, John is overwhelmed by the psychological torture that begins. He is trapped, abused, lost, and frightened, all before getting involved further into a sick, sexual game that would really give this film a guaranteed X-rating in a standard American market. Although "Naboer" really doesn't have the overt bloodshed (but still a fare share) that typical slasher fare films do, the horror of it all is presented mentally - and rightfully so, as the mind is much more powerful in suggestions that celluloid could ever be. As the story unravels, more and more questions pop up as to why everything is suddenly happening to John. What has his part been in possibly causing everything to happen? Is it his current situation, or perhaps his past? How do the neighbor girls know so much about his most intimate relationship details? How does it all tie in with his recent break-up, and why? The mental roller-coaster continues to pick up the pace until the very end, which is worth the wait. A different view of an already normally over-saturated horror/thriller market. "Naboer" works, and it works well. It would be hard-pressed to find a viewer who would leave the theater without a feeling of awe or shock. Excellent in every way.

and I quite liked the music, but I didn't know the composer. One to check out to be sure. Like the other reviewer I would compare it to Polanski, I kept thinking about 'The Tenant' watching this. The atmosphere are a bit of the same, claustrophobic and strange. We don't know whats going on in there, but it sure doesn't feel right. That said, the script isn't all original, but its still a very good take on it.

Actors are well chosen and did it very well. The two girls in particular create some really uncomfortable situations and are a great team. Kristoffer Joner is an excellent actor also and does a fine job here. The Swede deserves a mention as well.

Director Pål Sletaune is one to watch. He is soon changing status for me from talented to a very good director. The future of Norwegian film looks very bright.

It has some very minor flaws which you barely notice as the movie speeds away.

I saw this film yesterday, at the second Reykjavík International Film Festival, and I did not know what to expect. It is the third movie from the Norwegian director Pål Sletaune. In 1998 Variety pronounced him one of the ten most promising directors worldwide. I knew this was a psychological thriller with strong sexual undertone, and that is definitely what it is. Wow!!! I was amazed. This film is a shocker! At this one scene my wife said she almost had to vomit!!! After this scene she had to watch the film through her fingers. The performance of Kristoffer Joner (leading actor) is excellent. This is one of the best films I have seen this year. Not for softies.

When this gem came out in 2005 I noticed a review that it was a chiller, a cult one. So I started searching for Naboer, as is the original title. Also noticeable is the fact that it got a rating +18. Never before this movie it was ever given to a movie coming from Norway (in the genre). Here in our region there is a label coming out as Mr Horror bringing out the gems that weren't released and guess what, nr 14 on his list is Naboer. Bought it straight away and watched it immediately. Well, this flick is a beauty. It isn't really a horror movie it's more a psychological one. But it has his gory moments. One of those moments is the scene that has given it the +18. The love scene really get's bloody in some way. I won't spoil the plot but I can tell that some of you out there will have to watch it twice to get it. It's really in the Lynch style, beautifully filmed and really believable actors. Once again a low budget gem. You see, it doesn't have to come from Hollywood to be a good one. Now available here in the Benelux, watch out, it's spoken in the Norwegian language and only has dutch/french subtitles. Normally I don't give that easy a 7/10 but this is the real stuff...