The Girl Next Door (2007)
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The story
In 2007, David Moran witnesses a man hit and run by a car in New York City. While attempting to help, he is transported back to the summer of 1958. He recalls his first teenage crush, Meg Loughlin, and her disabled sister Susan, who were sent to live with their aunt, Ruth Chandler. Ruth is a neglectful and abusive guardian who treats the girls poorly while allowing local boys to frequent her home. David, a local boy, becomes aware of the abuse Meg is suffering under Ruth's roof. The story explores the tension between the children's awareness of the situation and the adults' refusal to intervene.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2007, David Moran witnesses a man hit and run in New York City, triggering memories of the summer of 1958. He recalls meeting Meg Loughlin and her sister Susan, who were living with their abusive aunt, Ruth Chandler. Ruth subjects the girls to physical and emotional abuse while allowing local boys to frequent the home. After Meg reports the abuse to the police, they are ignored. Ruth and her sons begin to torment Meg, and local children join in the abuse with Ruth's approval. David tries to help Meg escape, but she is caught. Later, David is trapped in the basement where Ruth performs horrific acts of violence on Meg. David eventually manages to free himself and, during a confrontation, beats Ruth to death with a crutch. The police arrive and arrest the boys. Susan is taken to testify, and Meg is left with David. She dies from her injuries while expressing her love for him. In the present, the adult David reflects on the tragedy, remembering Meg's words: 'It's what you do last that counts.'
- Original title
- Jack Ketchum's Evil
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 91
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gregory M. Wilson
- Writers
- Daniel Farrands · screenplay; Philip Nutman · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Blanche Baker; Daniel Manche; Blythe Auffarth; Mark Margolis · homeless man; Peter Stickles · EMT; William Atherton · one of the grown up neighborhood boys
- Genres
- psychological horror-thriller; crime thriller; horror
- Themes
- child abuse; domestic violence
- Tone and mood
- disturbing; dark
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; true crime; psychological
- Source material / true-story basis
- Jack Ketchum's 1989 novel of the same name
- Content notes
- torture
- Reception
- The film received mixed to negative reviews, with critics describing it as disturbing and shocking, while some compared it to a 'demented cross' of styles.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 67% · review count: 15; Metacritic · score: 29 · scale: 100 · review count: 5
- Production trivia
- The film's score was composed by Ryan Shore.; The film is based on a novel inspired by a real-life murder.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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