"And here's to you Mrs. Peterson. Jesus loves you more than you know." This movie is a twisted version of "The Graduate" (1967), although not only has Mrs. Robinson become Mrs. Peterson, but in this movie it is the teacher being seduced. Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman) moves next door to Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez), a teacher of Classical English Literature at the high school Noah will be attending. Claire is on rocky terms with her husband as the two struggle to be civil for the sake of their son Kevin (Ian Nelson). Noah is orphaned, and has moved in to help his elderly uncle who is going for an operation and Noah intends to provide help as he recovers. Noah quickly befriends the Petersons, and one night, while home alone, he calls upon Mrs. Peterson to come to his rescue on a failed attempt to make a chicken dinner. She goes over, and Noah seduces her, and in the vulnerable state she is in, she succumbs. The next morning, when Mrs. Peterson tries to say what a mistake had been made, we see Noah has become obsessed and now has this incident to use as blackmail. Part of the problem with this movie is there is not enough character development. It would've been better if it toyed with your emotions, making you first really like Noah before he becomes evil; but the movie gives you a creepy feeling about Noah right from the beginning, in his action, in his dialogue, and even in the music they play right from the opening credits. Overall the whole plot is pretty far-fetched. Not a great work of art, but bottom line the movie does make you wonder how it's going to end. Unfortunately not even the ending is that exciting.
Review of The Boy Next Door
The Boy Next Door
(2015)
"And here's to you Mrs. Peterson. Jesus loves you more than you know."
6 August 2017