It’s hard to imagine a teenage boy who hasn’t fantasized about a mature woman whose clearly out of his league. Or even better, a teacher. The oft-played “teacher-student sex scandal†is classic and from the looks of the Boy Next Door’s trailers, we were in for a treat. It would be too easy to compare this film to one of the Lifetimes network’s poorly crafted dramas, but the comparison is warranted. While most would expect a movie about a beautiful teacher having sex with one of her mature but still young, students, to be an instant classic, this film just doesn’t deliver.
This film is a roller coaster ride that is probably over before you get your first ‘yelp’ out.
“The Boy Next Door†could be compared to countless other movies seeing that it is chock full of Hollywood played on clichés. Ranging from the cheating husband, who is kicked out by his beautiful wife, from the scorned woman who has sex in an attempt to feel whole again, or even the chiseled, handsome, boy toy who turns out to have issues that run far deeper than just a slight temper. This movie covers all its bases and does little to cover them well.
Set in a smooth, quiet, suburban setting, Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez), represents the recently separated wife who found her husband cheating with his secretary. Like most films, she has a son to raise who is dealing with the growing pains of his father being removed from his house. Garrett Peterson (John Corbett), is the douche husband who cheated on a beautiful wife, home, and family is a play on another oft played cliché. Enter Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman) the masculine, well-mannered, handsome hunk. More than just a handsome face, it just so happens that he is intrigued by classical literature, the subject his neighbor and coveted neighbor Claire teaches. The two get close and in like most films, eventually have sex. Whether by chance, romance, or just a moment of vulnerability on Claire’s part, she immediately lets Noah know that it can never happen again. Realizing this could jeopardize her career, future, and family, Noah realizes the power he now holds.
And of course, Noah is not just the well-mannered next door neighbor. He just so happens to be a skilled fighter, marksmen, tactician, and to top it all off, a crazed stalker.
The plot itself does little to shy away from already worn out clichés, the suspense and thrill lack substantially. The story progresses as most do, and after the first 15 minutes or so, becomes predictable. The moments where the film is not predictable, the action takes place so fast that you are left with no time to digest and enjoy the scenes themselves. By the time one scene is done, the next one arises rather abruptly and we are left to question the characters’ emotion and how could they have reacted so fast.
The movie is reminiscent of “Fatal Attraction†with its love gone awry plot. We go from a sexual encounter that is forbidden but ends in bloodshed because one lover’s feelings are not mutual.
The dialogue between the characters could have been much stronger. In many cases it lacked substance or relevancy to the scene being depicted. The scenes bounced around from passion, to enraged, to almost comedy.
The film’s lack of substance and relevancy is almost made up for with Jennifer Lopez’s acting. Already a sight to see and regarded as impeccable eye candy, she makes the movie bearable, if only to get a glimpse of her during the short lived sex scene.
No matter how unrealistic.
In true J-Lo fashion, she is a sight to see throughout the movie, appearing in every scene with perfect makeup, coiffed hair, and with a wardrobe that is subtle but still gives the viewer a hint of her sex appeal. Whether she is at work, lounging around on her couch, or peeking at her naked next door neighbor, her character is the highlight of the movie.
The lackluster ‘roller coaster’ ride if you will, lasts all of about 80 minutes. The character interaction coupled with the poor selection of scenes does little to keep viewers attention aside from Lopez’s beauty. Fans of the thriller genre would be disappointed with it’s lack of actual thrills and this film would probably best have been kept a secret.
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