The Girl Next Door will hit DVD shelves this week (featuring both a regular and unrated edition), and if you didn't catch this film in theaters then I strongly recommend giving it a chance on DVD, particularly for viewers under 30.

It seems like every year there's at least one movie that gets an incomprehensibly harsh treatment from critics -- and while it's only August, I think it's safe to say this is that movie. Ebert gave the film one star, and several other prominent critics weren't too kind either. Look, I'm not saying this flick is the second-coming of Citizen Kane, but it's sure as hell not Charlie's Angels either (which, by the way, Ebert gave two more stars). In fact, for the teen coming of age genre, I would definitely put this one in the top tier.


I think what I like most about The Girl Next Door is how it always keeps moving ahead and pulling us in unexpected directions. There's a scene between Emile Hirsch (who plays the innocent, intelligent high school senior with loads of ambition) and Elisha Cuthbert (who you'll recognize from the television show 24) where they end up in a sleazy motel room. The moments leading up to it are funny enough, namely Hirsch's half-assed attempt to act like a player, but the whole thing gets turned around on him and in a matter of minutes our view of both characters swings back and forth wildly. This is just one of several great moments, culminating in a great finale with a definite nod to Risky Business. When you consider how forumulaic most teen fare has become these days, these smartly twisting moments are refreshing.

What else does this film having going for it? Well, for the guys, Elisha Cuthbert is pretty darn easy on the eyes, but Timothy Olyphant steals the show as her sleazy-yet-likeable adult film producer. If you don't know who Olyphant is, you may remember him as the drug dealer in Doug Liman's Go. Why this guy isn't a star by now has me absolutely dumbfounded. Watch and you'll agree with me.

Even though this film basically flopped in theaters (I honestly thought it would end up in the 75 - 90 million range), I think once it gets around on DVD for a while and then hits HBO or Showtime, it will eventually acquire a better reputation. There are certain movies that take longer to find their audience (The Big Lebowski and Rounders are two such examples) and hopefully over time The Girl Next Door will join the list.

Posted August 21, 2004 | link