It’s a familiar storyline: a one-night stand becomes a dangerous obsession. The most prominent film to feature this plot is Fatal Attraction, the 1987 film starring Michael Douglas about a man that gives into a one-night stand with a woman (Glenn Close) who “will not be ignored.” Hollywood has since then attempted to create successful copycats with a twist. For example, Obsessed in 2009 starred Beyoncé as a cheating wife, but the affair wasn’t actually real—it was a figment of the imagination of Idris Elba’s temp secretary played by Ali Larter. Obsessed did not see the same success as Fatal Attraction, but, then, the characters were not as believable, the acting was not at the same level, and the story was predictable. That hasn’t stopped Hollywood from repeating this story.
The Boy Next Door is another stalker film with a one-night stand that turns into a psychotic obsession. The film, in fact, is Fatal Attraction with reversed roles. Jennifer Lopez plays Claire Peterson, a high school teacher who is separated from her cheating husband, Garrett (John Corbett). Claire, as we learn in the opening scene, kicked her husband out almost a year ago, but is still holding out hope that they can work things out as she refuses to sign the divorce papers.
Claire and her teenage son, Kevin, live in a small suburban neighborhood and are trying to make life as normal as possible, even though a repentant Garrett is only invited in on special occasions, such as Kevin’s birthday.
While trying to open a broken garage door, Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman) shows up and saves the day, opening the door so that Claire and Kevin can make it to yet another allergist appointment. Kevin suffers from debilitating asthma, which also inhibits his social life and has subjected him to bullies. Noah, however, not only helps Claire with garage door repairs, but also befriends Kevin and begins to build a trusting relationship with both he and his mother.
Noah moved into the house next door to help his elderly uncle while he endures bone marrow transplants to treat his cancer. We find out that Noah’s parents recently died in a car accident (or so we are told), so Noah is also there because he has no other family. Noah is “almost twenty” but has not finished high school, and so he will be attending the same school where Kevin attends and Claire teaches.
Labor Day weekend sees Kevin and his father take a fishing trip, leaving Claire alone in her house. She attempts to go on a double date with her best friend and colleague (Kristin Chenoweth), but it doesn’t go well and she leaves early. Noah, also alone since his uncle is receiving his treatments, calls Claire to help him cook a chicken. Having had a little too much wine, Claire reluctantly gives in to Noah’s blunt sexual advances, as he kisses and undresses her.
She realizes right away that giving in was a mistake and immediately regrets sleeping with Noah. She tells him how she feels, which only angers him. Claire then tries unsuccessfully to break ties with him, but this only makes Noah more determined. He pits Kevin against his father, he tries to out the affair to the school jeopardizing Claire’s job, and he openly sleeps with the girl that Kevin is crushing on. Noah becomes a psychopathic stalker, while Claire not only fears for her job and her family life, but she literally fears for her life itself.
The story as a whole is a bit predictable. We know that Noah will do anything to have Claire for himself, including playing mind games to force Kevin and Claire to cut ties with Garrett, and physical violence. The film, as most of these thrillers do, climaxes in a scene of kidnapping and attempted murder. However, there are still some unexpected scenes where I literally jumped and sat on the edge of my seat hoping the heroes would get there in time and save the day. So, as a thriller, the film works. Guzman, however, as a nineteen-year old, is not quite believable. He looks much more like his actual twenty-seven. Regardless, his performance was spot-on as a psychopath, and, to me, he made the film worth watching.
IMAGE TAKEN from nydailynews.com
