Search - The Girl Next Door (Unrated Version) on DVD

Nick H. from ALTON, IL
Reviewed on 1/29/2009...

A reworking of Tom Cruise's "Risky Business". A girl in the sex industry moves next door, the teen hero becomes friendly with her, almost blows it when he discovers her background and makes a bumbling move on her, then it gets complicated when her manager in snakeskin shows up. As in "Risky Business," a plausible but extremely unlikely solution results in a happy ending. Cuthbert is gorgeous, there's plenty of skin, and it's mildly amusing.

3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Jax C. (Destructa) from SAN JOSE, CA
Reviewed on 1/16/2008...

Had no idea what to expect with this movie...dumb teen date movie, right? Wrong! Very sly, very very funny, and well-acted, it's a wild ride to who-knows-where. GND deals primarily with Matthew's tough choices between looking good to conformist adults and doing the right thing for his conscience. Of course, the x-factor is Danielle--the former porn actress next door is a hell of a curveball for the straight-A virgin. The film refuses to judge and deals very obliquely with the realities of the porn industry and its degradation of women (and men). Matthew is determined to help Danielle start over, but her past has followed her into his sheltered world.

4 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.

Elisha Cuthbert is an amazing talent

Charles Pierce II | Santa Clara, CA, USA | 12/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While Elisha Cuthbert is "only" the love interest and doesn't have the lead role, her talent overshadows all the other performances and is in a different league. As a whole, the film is well acted, well directed and has a polished feel to it. But a silly premise and a storyline riddled with obvious logical gaps take the movie down to a two star level. What rescues this movie from mediocrity is Ms. Cuthbert's performance. Her acting range is amazing, making her an American version of Audrey Tautou, who's been credible in an stunning variety of roles. From cynical, bitter, trapped porn star to love-touched girl friend, Ms. Cuthbert takes each of her scenes to five stars. It's not her pretty body that lingers in the mind, but her evocative facial expressions. I hope she finds a path to mainstream Hollywood, which she richly deserves. Emile Hirsch is a good actor stuck with a challenging part and he manages some chemistry with Ms. Cuthbert, but he isn't in the same league. So why watch the movie? For the chance to see Elisha Cuthbert turn in a performance comparable to a legend like Barbara Stanwyck, who elevated many a corny B movie to A level, by virtue of her acting skills. Without Ms. Stanwyck, Double Indemnity would be a strange curiousity instead of film noir virtuosity. Elisha Cuthbert has the same level of raw talent."