Reviewed by Chris Eberle

The Boy Next Door - Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

High school English teacher Claire Peterson is separated from her cheating husband, Garrett. When a mysterious boy named Noah moves in next door, she is strangely attracted to him and he to her. One night in a moment of weakness she has a torrid affair with him, setting in motion an intense obsession. Noah quickly infiltrates every aspect of Claire’s life and pursues her relentlessly. She tries to end the affair but things quickly escalate out of control. Eventually her family and friends are in danger from Noah’s unstable behavior. In the end, she has only one way out of the situation.

Specifications

  • Universal
  • 2015, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 31 mins
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
  • Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, Kristin Chenoweth
  • Directed by Rob Cohen

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Yes
  • Sex: Yes
  • Language: Yes

Commentary

Before I even watched this film I was reminded of the classic Fatal Attraction from 1987, with Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. The challenge faced by The Boy Next Door is that since then, and before for that matter; the story of an affair-turned-obsession has been done many times. Unfortunately too, this film just screams low budget. And it has the overwhelming feel of being rushed through production. After a quick check of IMDB, my suspicions were confirmed. It was shot in only 25 days on a $4 million dollar budget.

I admit I haven’t seen other movies with Jennifer Lopez but thanks to a truly awful script, she comes off looking like a very poor actress. The other characters don’t fare much better. The dialog is loaded with cliché and other lines that are meant to create tension but only inspire laughter. The pacing of the story is quite irregular as well. The film never really strikes a rhythm as it moves along in fits and starts. The best (and only good) part is the final sequence which does provide a few pearls for gore and horror fans.

Basically what you’ve got here is a thrown together remake of Fatal Attraction with a younger and prettier cast. If you’re looking for a good erotic thriller, this ain’t it. Best to reach back to 1987 for that other film.

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Technical

The image has no visible flaws and is presented with a natural color palette. Some scenes are warmed up a bit but the tint is never a distraction. Contrast is broad and deep with nice rich blacks and highlights that pop just enough. Detail is sharp as well with consistent focus and no evidence of edge enhancement.

The DTS-HD Master Audio track is clean and competent but nothing to write home about. Ambient sound effects are present but they don’t quite surround the viewer like most modern films. The sub is used sparingly and the front sound stage is of average width and depth. Dialog is always crisp and clear.

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Extras

Bonus features include a 10-minute making-of documentary, deleted scenes and audio commentary by director Rob Cohen.

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