Someone told me this Jennifer Lopez starrer The Boy Next Door is a psychological thriller and this is the only reason I find myself tempted enough to watch the movie. To my disappointment, the film is in fact no less than an unimpressive plot that entangled itself being a good family drama and a steamy romantic thriller. At least NOT a psychological thriller, actually none!
The film has little substance and significance when you get introduced with the ageless beauty Lopez as Claire, an English literature teacher living with her teenage son after separating from her philandering husband Garrett. There comes the dashing boy next door Noah (Ryan Guzman) who flaunts his biceps and abs, quotes Greek literature and offers help more than once in order to lure the beautiful neighbor.
When you see the boy next door very dutifully taking care of his ailing uncle and who is friendly enough to even enter your kitchen and offer you help with the dishes, the now separated and lonely lady has no other option but to fall for the much younger boy. Everything seems fine between the two, until the night when Claire gets hot and sticky with Noah.
Interestingly, as a guilty Claire tries to move on with her life without making any mention of what actually happened between her and Noah, the decent boy next door turns to be a stalker and kept on following her and even turned abusive and violent. Of course, by this time you might have known which way the story is going. The storytelling is very predictable that goes even more downside with unconvincing acting amid lack of creativity.
The Boy Next Door starts from a point where it seemed it was never going to cater to a wider audience other than teenage college going kids or those who are looking for some cheap erotic thriller. Director Cohen, the maker of original Fast and Furious movie, only leaves his marks in the last few minutes, whether it’s that runway car chase or the final showdown. And finally, I guess Lopez is trying too much in asserting her drama skills but with films like this her career can only go south.
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, John Corbett, Ian Nelson and Kristin Chenoweth
Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Released date/year: 23rd January, 2015
Image Credit: Official fan page
