The Girl Next Door (2004 film)

Last updated

The Girl Next Door
Girl Next Door movie.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Luke Greenfield
Screenplay by
Story byDavid T. Wagner
Brent Goldberg
Produced by Harry Gittes
Charles Gordon
Marc Sternberg
Starring
Cinematography Jamie Anderson
Edited by Mark Livolsi
Music by Paul Haslinger
Production
companies
Regency Enterprises
New Regency
Daybreak
Epsilon Motion Pictures
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • April 9, 2004 (2004-04-09)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20–25 million [2] [3] [4]
Box office$30.4 million [5]

The Girl Next Door is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Luke Greenfield. It follows a high school senior who falls in love for the first time with the girl next door, but finds the situation becoming complicated after he learns that she is a former pornographic actress. It stars Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert, Timothy Olyphant, James Remar, Chris Marquette, and Paul Dano. The film received mixed reviews and low theatrical attendance at the time, [1] but over time has gained cult film status. [1] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

Plot

Ambitious high school senior Matthew Kidman has been accepted to Georgetown University but cannot afford the tuition. As class president, he has raised $25,000 in order to bring a brilliant Cambodian student, Samnang, to study in the United States, but otherwise has found little else memorable about his high school experience. His friends, perverted film student Eli, and shy and awkward Klitz, rebuff his displeasure with their lack of risky behavior. His life suddenly changes when a young woman, Danielle, moves in next door. When Matthew witnesses her undressing, she sees him and storms over. Introducing herself to his parents, they suggest to Matthew that he show Danielle around town. During the car ride, Danielle coerces him into taking his clothes off and forces him to run naked down the street.

Matthew and Danielle bond through a series of flirtatious dares. At a raucous party thrown by a classmate, Matthew finally finds the courage to kiss Danielle. The following day, Matthew's reverie is shattered when Eli informs him that Danielle is a former adult film actress.

On Eli's advice, Matthew takes Danielle to a motel and treats her coolly. Danielle, insulted, abruptly ends their relationship. Matthew attempts to apologize, but Danielle decides to return to the adult industry. Matthew, Eli, and Klitz go to an adult film convention in Las Vegas where Kelly, an adult film producer and Danielle's ex-boyfriend, menacingly warns Matthew not to interfere with his business. Matthew ignores him, convincing Danielle to leave her past behind.

Days later, an enraged Kelly abducts Matthew from school and physically assaults him, saying that he cost him $30,000. Kelly offers to let Matthew erase his debt by stealing an award from his former partner, Hugo Posh. Once Matthew enters the house, Kelly calls the police and leaves. Matthew narrowly escapes and rushes to an important scholarship award dinner. High on ecstasy that Kelly tricked him into taking, he improvises a sentimental speech. Although he endears himself to Danielle, he does not win the scholarship.

Kelly exacts further revenge by posing as Matthew's student advisor and stealing the money raised for Samnang. Matthew fears that he will be implicated in the fraud. He turns to Danielle for help, and she calls Hugo Posh; they agree to make a pornographic film on prom night with Danielle's former colleagues and Matthew's classmates as actors. Eli directs the production, and when no one is able to perform an important scene, Klitz finds the confidence to undertake it. They celebrate the successful shoot; Matthew and Danielle make love for the first time.

The next morning, Eli calls Matthew, informing him that the tape has been stolen. Matthew enters his house to find Kelly in possession of the tape and talking with his parents and principal. Kelly demands Matthew's half of the eventual profits. When Matthew refuses, Kelly plays the tape for the group, who are surprised to find that Matthew and his friends have made a modern sexual education film.

Hugo Posh and Matthew make millions, and Posh pays for Samnang's trip. Eli becomes a successful filmmaker, Klitz attends college and is pleased to learn that his classmates revel at his scene in the film, and Matthew attends Georgetown, bringing Danielle with him.

Cast

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $14,589,444 in the US, plus $15,821,739 outside the US, for a combined gross of $30,411,183. [5]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 56% approval rating based on 159 reviews, with an average rating of 5.60/10. The site's consensus reads: "The movie borrows heavily from Risky Business , though Hirsch and Cuthbert are appealing leads." [9] At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average average score of 47 based on 32 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [10] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B+" on scale of A to F. [11]

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter called it a "Sharp, vivacious comedy." [12] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post called it "An entertaining affair whose wild-card creativity never ceases to surprise." [13] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave it a B− grade and wrote: "Risky Business had a great opening act and then descended into contrivances. This genial cardboard knockoff is contrived from the start but gets better as it goes along." [14]

Joe Leydon of Variety gave it a mixed review, criticizing it for being "recycled" comparing it to Risky Business, American Pie , and 1980s Brat Pack romances, and calling the script "shamelessly derivative". He describes the lead actors as "attractive but bland" but praised the supporting cast, especially the "scene-stealing turn" by Olyphant. [15] [16] A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote that the film "[o]ffers a view of pornography that is nonjudgmental, even celebratory, but at the same time its premise – that Danielle must be rescued from the shame and degradation of her old job – suggests a more traditional, disapproving point of view. Instead of addressing this contradiction, the movie is happy to wallow in it, which would be fine if it had any real pleasure to offer." [17] Roger Ebert gave the film one and a half stars out of four, describing it as a "nasty piece of business" and faulted the studio for marketing the film as a teen comedy. [18]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
2004 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Your Parents Didn't Want You to SeeThe Girl Next DoorNominated[ citation needed ]
2005 MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss Elisha Cuthbert and Emile Hirsch Nominated [19]
Best Breakthrough Performance Elisha CuthbertNominated [19]

Soundtrack listing

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicole Kidman</span> Australian and American actress and producer (born 1967)

Nicole Mary Kidman is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and six Golden Globe Awards. She received the American Cinematheque Award Gala Tribute in 2003, New York Film Festival Gala Tribute in 2012 and was the first Australian actor to receive the AFI Life Achievement Award honor in 2024.

<i>Bratz: Starrin & Stylin</i> Canadian-American animated film

Bratz The Video: Starrin' & Stylin', or simply Bratz: Starrin' & Stylin', is a 2004 Canadian-American animated teen comedy film that was produced by CinéGroupe and MGA Entertainment and released on DVD and VHS by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, and later re-released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment in 2007. It can now be found on digital online streaming on Vudu and digital download on iTunes. This is the first Bratz movie that was released.

<i>Bubble Boy</i> (film) 2001 film

Bubble Boy is a 2001 American black comedy film directed by Blair Hayes, starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the title role. It was inspired by the 1976 movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. A musical by the same name was written by the same authors and first performed in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emile Hirsch</span> American actor

Emile Davenport Hirsch is an American actor. His portrayal of Chris McCandless in Into the Wild (2007) earned him widespread acclaim and multiple nominations. Other notable roles include The Girl Next Door (2004), Lords of Dogtown (2005), Alpha Dog (2006), Speed Racer (2008), Milk (2008), Lone Survivor (2013), The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016), The Chinese Widow (2017), An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn (2018), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Olyphant</span> American actor (born 1968)

Timothy David Olyphant is an American actor. He made his acting debut in an off-Broadway theater in 1995, in The Monogamist, and won the Theatre World Award for his performance, and then originated David Sedaris' The Santaland Diaries in 1996. He then branched out to film; in the early years of his career, he was often cast in supporting villainous roles, most notably in Scream 2 (1997), Go (1999), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), A Man Apart (2003), and The Girl Next Door (2004). He came to the attention of a wider audience with his portrayal of Sheriff Seth Bullock in HBO's western Deadwood (2004–2006), later reprising the role in Deadwood: The Movie (2019). He had starring roles in films such as Catch and Release (2006), Hitman (2007), A Perfect Getaway (2009), and The Crazies (2010), and he played the main antagonist, Thomas Gabriel, in Live Free or Die Hard (2007). Olyphant was a recurring guest star in season two of the FX legal thriller Damages (2009).

<i>American Pie</i> (film) 1999 American film

American Pie is a 1999 American coming-of-age teen sex comedy film directed and co-produced by Paul Weitz and written by Adam Herz. It is the first film in the American Pie theatrical series and stars an ensemble cast that includes Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Natasha Lyonne, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy, Shannon Elizabeth, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film's story centers on a group of five classmates who attend the fictional East Great Falls High School. The youths make a pact to lose their virginity before their high school graduation.

<i>The Quiet</i> 2005 American film

The Quiet is a 2005 American psychological thriller film directed by Jamie Babbit and starring Elisha Cuthbert, Camilla Belle, Martin Donovan, and Edie Falco. It focuses on a deaf-mute teenage orphan who is sent to live with her godparents. She soon becomes a sounding board for the family members, who confess their darkest secrets to her, including the incestous relationship between her godfather and his teenage daughter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eli Dingle</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Eli Dingle is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Joe Gilgun. He first appeared on screen in the episode which aired on 13 July 2006 and made his last appearance on 30 April 2010. He is the younger brother of Marlon Dingle.

Luke Greenfield is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the 2004 film The Girl Next Door. Greenfield directed the pilot episode of the television series Aliens in America and produced the film Role Models. In 2014, he co-wrote, produced and directed the film Let's Be Cops.

<i>My Sassy Girl</i> (2008 film) 2008 American film

My Sassy Girl is a 2008 romantic comedy film and the remake of the 2001 South Korean film of the same name. It stars Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford and was directed by Yann Samuell. Both films are based on a true story told in a series of blog posts written by Kim Ho-sik, who later adapted them into a novel. The film is set in New York City's Central Park and Upper East Side. Samuell, describes the film as "a fable about destiny, " while Bradford described it as "a romantic comedy about how they pull each other to a more healthy place by virtue of their relationship."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Greenfield</span> American actor

Max Greenfield is an American actor. He appeared in recurring roles in Veronica Mars and Ugly Betty. He co-starred as Schmidt in the Fox sitcom New Girl, for which he received nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Critics' Choice Television Awards. Since 2018, Greenfield has portrayed Dave Johnson in the CBS sitcom The Neighborhood.

<i>Prom Night</i> (2008 film) 2008 slasher film by Nelson McCormick

Prom Night is a 2008 slasher film directed by Nelson McCormick. It is a reboot of the Prom Night film series and its fifth installment, mainly taking inspiration from the original 1980 film. The film stars an ensemble cast including Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Dana Davis, Collins Pennie, Kelly Blatz, James Ransone, Brianne Davis, Johnathon Schaech, and Idris Elba.

<i>Six Degrees of Separation</i> (film) 1993 film by Fred Schepisi

Six Degrees of Separation is a 1993 American comedy-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Fred Schepisi, adapted from John Guare's Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1990 play of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisha Cuthbert</span> Canadian actress

Elisha Ann Cuthbert is a Canadian actress. As a child actress, she made her first televised appearance as an extra in the horror-themed series for children Are You Afraid of the Dark? and co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids. She made her feature-film debut in the 1997 Canadian family drama Dancing on the Moon. Her first major lead role came in the 1998 drama film Airspeed alongside Joe Mantegna. In 2001, she starred in the movie Lucky Girl, for which she received her first award, the Gemini Awards.

<i>Monte Carlo</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by Thomas Bezucha

Monte Carlo is a 2011 American adventure-romantic comedy film based on the short story Headhunters by Rankin/Bass co-founder Jules Bass. It was directed by Thomas Bezucha. Denise Di Novi, Alison Greenspan, Nicole Kidman, and Arnon Milchan produced the film for Fox 2000 Pictures and Regency Enterprises. It began production in Harghita, Romania on May 5, 2010. Monte Carlo stars Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy as three friends posing as wealthy socialites in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The film was released on July 1, 2011. It features the song "Who Says" by Selena Gomez & the Scene and numerous songs by British singer Mika. Monte Carlo received mixed reviews from critics, but earned $39.7 million on a $20 million budget. Fox Home Entertainment released Monte Carlo on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on October 18, 2011.

<i>Laggies</i> 2014 film by Lynn Shelton

Laggies is a 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Lynn Shelton and written by Andrea Seigel. It stars Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, Kaitlyn Dever, Jeff Garlin, Ellie Kemper, Mark Webber, and Daniel Zovatto. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17, 2014, and was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 24, 2014, by A24.

<i>Strangerland</i> 2015 film directed by Kim Farrant

Strangerland is a 2015 drama suspense film directed by Kim Farrant in her directorial debut, and written by Michael Kinirons and Fiona Seres. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, and Hugo Weaving. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2015. The film did not have a theatrical release in its native Australia, but did receive a limited release in cinemas in the United States on 10 July 2015 by Alchemy.

<i>F the Prom</i> 2017 American film

F the Prom is a 2017 American teen comedy film directed and produced by Benny Fine and written by him, Rafi Fine, and Molly Prather. In the film, two estranged best friends reunite due to unfortunate circumstances and conspire to destroy the senior prom. The film stars Danielle Campbell, Joel Courtney, Madelaine Petsch, and Cameron Palatas, with Meg DeLacy, Nicholle Tom, Richard Karn, Jill Cimorelli, Luke Bilyk, Brendan Calton, Michael Chey, Adan Allende, Diamond White, Cheri Oteri, and Ian Ziering in supporting roles. It was released online and on-demand on December 5, 2017.

<i>The Prom</i> (film) 2020 film, based on the musical of the same name, directed by Ryan Murphy

The Prom is a 2020 American musical comedy film directed by Ryan Murphy from a screenplay by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, based on the 2018 Broadway musical of the same name by Martin, Beguelin, and Matthew Sklar. The film stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Chamberlin, Mary Kay Place, and Kerry Washington, and introduces Jo Ellen Pellman in her film debut as Emma Nolan. Logan Riley Hassel, Sofia Deler, Nico Greetham, and Nathaniel J. Potvin also appear in supporting roles.

<i>The Cellar</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Brendan Muldowney

The Cellar is a 2022 supernatural horror film written and directed by Brendan Muldowney and starring Elisha Cuthbert and Eoin Macken. It follows a family whose daughter disappears in the cellar of the large estate they have just moved into. The film was released via Shudder on 15 April 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rosen, Christopher (October 29, 2014). "The Juice Was Worth The Squeeze: Looking Back On 'The Girl Next Door'". The Huffington Post .
  2. "The Girl Next Door | PowerGrid". Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  3. "The Girl Next Door (2004): Destroyed by Poor Marketing". New Regency fully financed The Girl Next Door for $21 million and Fox distributed the film in most markets.
  4. "The Girl Next Door (2004) - Financial Information". The Numbers .
  5. 1 2 "The Girl Next Door (2004)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  6. Jesse Carp (July 31, 2012). "Girl Next Door Writer-Director Luke Greenfield Sets up Two New Features". CinemaBlend. The writer-director should be best known for his underrated 2004 cult hit The Girl Next Door, starring Elisha Cuthbert
  7. "Luke Greenfield to Direct Comedy Half-Brothers for Focus Features". Collider . May 7, 2019.
  8. John McDermott (May 17, 2017). "The Internet Killed the Teen Sex Comedy". MelMagazine.com. The Girl Next Door (2004) is something of a cult classic now, but it failed to make its money back in theaters.
  9. "The Girl Next Door (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  10. "The Girl Next Door". Metacritic . Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  11. "Girl Next Door, The (2004) B+". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  12. Linden, Sheri (February 23, 2004). "The Girl Next Door". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 7, 2004.
  13. Thomson, Desson (April 9, 2004). "'The Girl Next Door': Bodies and Brains". Washington Post .
  14. Owen Gleiberman (April 7, 2004). "The Girl Next Door". Entertainment Weekly .
  15. Leydon, Joe (February 22, 2004). "The Girl Next Door". Variety .
  16. Keith Phipps (June 4, 2004). "The Girl Next Door". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on November 15, 2019.
  17. Scott, A. O. (April 9, 2004). "FILM REVIEW; The Perfect Girl, Except for the Résumé". The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 28, 2015.
  18. Ebert, Roger (April 9, 2004). "The Girl Next Door". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved April 1, 2022 via RogerEbert.com.
  19. 1 2 Cosgrove, Ben (May 4, 2005). "Vicious Teens And Happy Drunk Lead 2005 MTV Movie Awards Nominees". MTV News . Retrieved February 27, 2016.