I'll open up by saying right off the bat that I love this movie. It's a lot like one of those teenage sex comedies from the 80s, but it's got a huge heart. In many ways, it's like "American Pie" in that regard. I hate romantic comedies, but that's pretty much what "The Girl Next Door" is. It's a raunchy romantic comedy that no guy will bitch about being dragged to. Fellas, it has boobies and it has lesbians, what's there not to like? On top of that, the movie truly is entertaining. Sure, it's got a ton of flaws, but nothing too severe. Also, it appeals to that part of me that likes to see the geek get the hot chick.
I saw "The Girl Next Door" at a free advanced screening, which usually has a theater filled with unruly people. From the time "The Girl Next Door" began, everyone was quiet. The only time you could hear the audience was when they were laughing, and there was a lotta that going on. The audience was really into this movie!
Just to let you know, the movie has a big secret regarding the title character, and unfortunately, it's given away in the trailer to the film. I won't be revealing that secret in this review. Hopefully, you'll see this movie not knowing what the secret is, but that secret is how the movie is being promoted, so I doubt that'll happen. Really, it doesn't matter. I saw the movie knowing what the secret was, and I still had a great time with it.
A big reason for me liking this movie is the cast. When I reviewed "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys," I wrote a few negative things about Emile Hirsch, who played the main character in that film. In "The Girl Next Door," once again, he plays the main character, but I like him a lot more this time around. He was great in the role, playing it perfectly, and the character was very likable and easy to relate to. As for his love interest, the film's title character, she's played by the very sexy Elisha Cuthbert. She had a small role in "Old School," but she's probably known best from the excellent TV show, "24." Anyone who watches "24" knows that the show is in no way comedic, and they don't exploit her sex appeal as often as they could (especially this third season, where she looks downright drab). It's kinda weird to see her in this kinda role, considering how serious she is in "24." That fades quickly, however, and she slips into this character very smoothly. She plays every geek boy's fantasy, not just in looks, but in personality. It's impossible not to totally love her character.
The rest of the cast is no less impressive. The character Emile Hirsch plays has two dorky friends, and they're played by Chris Marquette (I remember him from "Freddy Vs. Jason") and Paul Dano (he was in "The Emperor's Club," as was Emile Hirsch). They're both great, and they provide some of the biggest laughs. Veteran actor James Remar (he's been around for years, but he's probably best known as "Richard" in "Sex and the City"... he was also in "2 Fast 2 Furious") has a small role, and he's always a cool addition to a movie. Probably the biggest standout is Timothy Olyphant (he had a scene-stealing role as a drug dealer in "Go"... he was also very good in "A Man Apart"). I don't wanna say much about the character he plays, but he's a joy to watch. Everyone in the movie is excellent, but Timothy Olyphant's performance is a starmaker.
"The Girl Next Door" was directed by Luke Greenfield, and this is his second film. His first was the Rob Schneider movie, "The Animal." I've never seen "The Animal" (can't say I regret it), but based on what I've seen in "The Girl Next Door," Luke Greenfield is a hell of a comedic director. He probably could have trimmed the film a bit, but other than that, I was really impressed. As for the writing, credit goes to David T. Wagner & Brent Goldberg (together they wrote "Van Wilder"... they also helped write "My Baby's Daddy"), as well as Stuart Blumberg (he wrote the very entertaining "Keeping the Faith"). I'm not sure who contributed what, but if I were a betting man, I'd say that the comedy and main story of the film was handled by David T. Wagner & Brent Goldberg while Stuart Blumberg added all the sweet stuff and the funny dialogue.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the film's awesome soundtrack. It's not just that the songs are good, it's also the way the songs are used. The scenes that utilize Filter's "Take a Picture" and the Queen/David Bowie collaboration, "Under Pressure," are especially well done.
"The Girl Next Door" won't win any Oscars, but it's got an undeniable charm, and I really liked it. It's got plenty of flaws, but I'm willing to overlook most of 'em because I enjoyed the movie so much. I'll probably see it again theatrically after its official release date (March 12), and I'm definitely gonna buy the DVD.
Scale of 1-10: 8