The Girl Next Door (1999)

terrible... so disappointed.

One of the wrost movies I have ever seen

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Blistering performances.

A rating of 4.5 is absurdly low for this genuine and uncomplicated little study of a gentle doctor's emotional deconstruction after having (although quite understandably) overstepped the line whilst baby-sitting his neighbor's 18 year old daughter and who tragically is murdered - with each and every clue about to incriminate him.Whodunnit really doesn't matter - the denouement is hardly a surprise anyway, as no one else in the picture has the slightest motive! The strength of this little Canadian offering lies in both Czerney's performance as the harried Doctor Bradley and ultra cute Polly Shannon as the 18 year old schoolgirl that Bradley has known and doctored since she was little. This isn't a hot sexy saga of lust in the dust...just an outline of a very credible set of circumstances that could easily lead to such a tragedy.Contrary to several reviewers, I don't see the script as trite and unbelievable. The story at no time strives to be "Hollywoodish." What you see is very much what you get! Totally believable performances. I think faced with the exact same circumstances Czerny was....I might well have fallen into the same pit he did..and lived to regret the action, but not the evening!Easily a 6! Very solid little contribution from Busey which I think he handled with both sensitivity and restraint.There are many films in the IMDb top 250 I would less prefer to watch again!

I found this an effective, low-keyed thriller with a thought-provoking sidebar, i.e., the lead character's moral dilemma: does he confess to one "crime" which may lead to being tried for a larger crime he did not commit? A minor tour-de-force for protagonist, Henry Czerny, who has his own take on Robert Redford's "uncomfortable look;" whereas Redford's is largely cerebral, Czerny has his churning guts (guilt, guilt)emerge through his eyes.Film is also well-directed by veteran Till who knows something about pacing and editing (he knows what to leave out and when, which I appreciate) as well as establishing mood. He must also have a feel for film noir since he does a nice job with Czerny's trapped man role. The basic plot line is nothing out of the ordinary, but Till and company invest it with some inventive twists and shadings, such as how Czerny must deal with an incriminating video cassette and the person who views it. There's also a convincing sense of the town with its affluent trappings. Admittedly, the revelation of the real murderer is somewhat unsatisfying but is followed through with thought and imagination.Up until this review, voting had been at 4.8, which makes it seem underrated to me. I saw it while sick at home and it grabbed my attention while I dozed or slept through other movie offerings. If you like quiet suspense films with noir overtones, you might this worth your time.

I loved this movie, I gave it a 10. I thought it was filmed well, very beautiful colors in the movie, especially the rain and the trees. I thought that the plot was WONDERFUL, the acting was good. I thought this movie was going to be bad, because it was on HBO late at night. But I was wrong, I watched this one twice. Has enough thrills and action to keep you watching, and also the acting was not what you would expect!

Here's a familiar theme: an older physician has an affair with a young beauty while his wife is pregnant. She is murdered. He's now a suspect. Her parent's are good friends of his. They can't know what happened. Oh dear! She took a video of him after the act. He's gotta get his hands on it!Even though her ex-boyfriend was stalking her before the murder, no-one suspects him! Incredible! They all suspect the NEW mysterious lover, but they don't know his identity. Oooh!Alright, aside from a very predictable plot and a theme that has received overkill from Hollywood, it's an alright flick to watch if there's nothing else good on t.v.