Picture 1 of 2
Stock photo
Picture 1 of 2
Stock photo
The Girl Next Door (DVD, 2007)
Price:
C $11.95
Free shipping
Returns:
Condition:
- Buy It NowThe Girl Next Door (R1 DVD) 2007 Anchor Bay Jack Ketchum 16:9 Widescreen
 | Shop by category |
{"delay":300}
|
Talk about being numb to your seat. Even though I've been warned I was still angered by it. I never cuss and fuss so much towards a film in my life. As a parent I was totally appalled of all the actions that took place towards the sisters. Just because your (Ruth) life ended up bad doesn't mean you can take it upon a child. She's lucky I didn't bump into her in the streets but fortunately enough she got what she deserves. In the beginning of this film, it revolves around David (played as an adult by William Atherton, the seminal 1980s), who after seeing a man hit by a car, recalls his youth and meeting Meg Loughlin (Blythe Auffarth), a 13 year old daughter of a gypsy left with her mother under the care of Ruth (Blanche Baker) and her sons. The young David (played by Daniel Manche) grows fond of his neighbors and Ruth, as she lets the boys drink beer, smoke cigarettes, and give them whatever they want. However, Ruth grows spiteful of Meg and her younger sister Susan (Madeline Taylor), crippled from polio. She starts with verbal abuse, and it soon turns into something more violent, as Ruth and her sons tie up Meg in the basement, and allow the neighborhood kids to torture her with cigarette burns, rape, and branding hot needles into her skin. David seems helpless, but slowly tries to find the courage to help her. The film starts out like any coming of age film, where David meets his new neighbors and the first act shows David's induction into Ruth's house. The second act begins the torture, and the third act is David's belated reaction to do something about it. It is successful on the filmmakers to have me react so strongly every time Ruth and her sons appeared on screen, because I know that's what they are going for. However, I felt that the process they used felt more exploitative than most. It shows in a scene before Meg's torture, where Ruth punishes Susan by dropping her pants and spanking her with a toilet bowl cleaner. We only see a view from below the bed, where Susan lies, but to see her braces fall to the ground as each slap is heard just felt sickening. The slow torture of Meg was very unpleasant to watch, and just went to a level so far it became exploitative. I know this really happened, but it didn't need to go to that level to show the point they needed to make. The director did state that the kids weren't there for explicit scenes but they were all there for Meg's first scene at the basement. Blythe Auffarth undeniably gave a brave performance as Meg, giving one of the most gut wrenching performances I've seen in a film. It is her suffering that sells the film and she succeeds admirably. Not every actress would do this role, and she should be applauded. Blanche Baker is such an evil (BEEP) as Ruth that she just made my stomach churn at her presence. Her sons were all played well as spoiled brats enjoying the evil acts they are doing, showing that children can prove to be as cruel as adults. These kids make Stewie from FAMILY GUY look like Opie Taylor. William Atherton is good as the adult David, but his scenes feel out of place and don't really provide any resolution. I've always liked Atherton as an actor, and I wish he had more to do. Some of the reviewers here along with my friends at Amazon had stated that "The Girl Next Door" is the most shocking for 07' and probably for the decade which I too agree upon. It's well directed, brilliantly acted (by some), and well written, but overall it's a film not made for thRead full review
When I heard they where making Jack Ketchum's book into a movie I was seriously doubtful it would be any good. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Not as graphic as the book, with would be hard considering the content and the underage actors, but it definitely keeps to the spirit. A great movie and book based on a horrible true crime. Good to fair acting, well filmed, decent scripting/dialog, disturbing without being too graphic. Highly recommended!
A friend suggested Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door as an "outstanding" Halloween flick. I watched the movie based on that recommendation alone, knowing almost nothing else about the film. To my surprise, there was very little of the blood or gore one would expect while watching a Halloween slasher movie, (as it had been described to me). Rather this film was much more disturbing in a completely different way. Without ruining it for others: I'd classify it as a disturbing drama regarding child abuse of the worst kind. Subject matter aside, the production of the film is good...not excellent, as is the acting. In the end it will provoke feelings of anger, vengeance, perhaps some fear, and in my case...a smidgen of disappointment. I hope this helps.
I'm not saying this is a poorly made film, but the plot is basically just watching an innocent girl get brutally tortured for 90 minutes. What makes it even more disturbing is that it is based on a true story. If this is something you're into, I'm sure you'll like this movie. I found it stomach churning and extremely depressing. I immediately threw the dvd away after watching it because I didn't want it in my house anymore.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
To me An American Crime was a far superior movie, and I say wait until the end of August for it's release on DVD. This movie was an okay movie with adequate acting (there was not on particular stand-out performance in the bunch), with an inept script which should have stayed true to the storyline in which it was adapted from. Instead they change names, change the sexes of just about everyone in the entire sadistic family involved. The film itself wasn't as riveting as An American Crime, it offered alot more graphic violence that did nothing to enhance the story itself. I bought this movie with great expectations, but it fell way short. I thought it would be enough to hold me over until the release of An American Crime, it failed in that respect also. If it had only stayed true to the Likens tragedy, it would have been so much better without all of the gratutious vilence.Read full review
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
