The Girl Next Door (2004 film)

The Girl Next Door
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Luke Greenfield
Screenplay by	Stuart Blumberg David T. Wagner Brent Goldberg Luke Greenfield (uncredited) Chris McKenna (uncredited)[1]
Story by	David T. Wagner Brent Goldberg
Produced by	Harry Gittes Charles Gordon Marc Sternberg
Starring	Emile Hirsch Elisha Cuthbert Timothy Olyphant James Remar Chris Marquette Paul Dano
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
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20–21 million[2][3]
Box office	$30.4 million[4]

The Girl Next Door is a 2004 American romantic comedy film about 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 and is directed by Luke Greenfield. Despite mixed reviews and low theatrical attendance at the time^[5] it has gained the status of a cult classic over the years.^[5][6][7][8]

Plot[]

Ambitious high school senior Matthew Kidman has been accepted to Georgetown University, but cannot afford the tuition. He has raised $25,000 in order to bring a brilliant Cambodian student, Samnang, to study in the United States, but finds little else truly memorable about his high school experience. His life suddenly changes when a beautiful new neighbor, Danielle, moves in next door. Matthew witnesses her undressing from his bedroom window, until she sees him and storms over, knocking on the door and introducing herself to his parents. They suggest to Matthew that he show Danielle around town. During the car ride, however, Danielle wasn't mad at Matthew but makes him run naked across the street as revenge.

Matthew and Danielle bond through a series of flirtatious dares, including one that culminates with the two skinny dipping in Matthew’s principal’s swimming pool. At a raucous party thrown by a classmate, Matthew finally finds the courage to kiss Danielle. She is receptive, and they become a couple of sorts. The next day, Matthew’s reverie is shattered when his friend Eli informs him that Danielle is an adult film actress.

On Eli's advice, a still-stunned Matthew takes Danielle to a sleazy motel and treats her coolly. Danielle, insulted, realizes that he has discovered her past and abruptly ends their relationship. Matthew later attempts to apologize and reconcile, but Danielle believes that she will never be able to escape her past and decides to return to the adult industry. Matthew tracks Danielle down at an adult film convention in Las Vegas where Kelly, an adult film producer and Danielle's ex, menacingly warns Matthew not to interfere with his business. Matthew ignores him, convincing Danielle to leave the adult industry and begin their relationship anew.

Days later, an enraged Kelly abducts Matthew from school and physically assaults him, saying that Danielle's failure to film has cost him $30,000. Kelly offers to let Matthew erase his debt by stealing an award statuette from porn mogul Hugo Posh, but once Matthew has entered the house Kelly calls in a burglary report and leaves the premises. Matthew narrowly avoids the police and rushes to a scholarship award dinner. High on ecstasy that Kelly gave him as aspirin, he improvises a deeply sentimental speech. He endears himself to Danielle, but loses out on the scholarship.

Kelly exacts further revenge by posing as Matthew’s student advisor and stealing all the money Matthew raised for Samnang. Matthew fears that he will be implicated in the fraud and expelled from school. He turns to Danielle for help in recouping his losses. Danielle calls in two friends from her porn star days, and they agree to make a video for Hugo Posh on prom night using Matthew's classmates as actors. After the successful shoot, Danielle and Matthew have sex in their limousine. Despite Danielle's past, it is the first time she has truly made love.

The next morning, Eli calls Matthew in a panic, saying that the prom night tape has been stolen, jeopardizing their hopes of financial recovery. Matthew enters his house to find Kelly (in possession of the tape) talking with his parents and Principal Salinger. Kelly, in private, tells Matthew that unless he is given half of all profits, he will play the stolen tape immediately for Matthew's family. Matthew dares him to show the tape, saying that he no longer cares about his future, and Kelly obliges. Surprising everyone, Matthew and his friends have made a progressive, comprehensive sex ed tape rather than a porn film. With no more cards left to play, Kelly admits defeat as well as a grudging respect for Matthew.

Hugo Posh and Matthew make millions from the video. Hugo Posh pays for Samnang to come to the United States. Matthew has enough money to attend Georgetown and take Danielle to DC with him.

Cast[]

Reception[]

Critical response[]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 56% approval rating based on reviews from 160 reviews, with an average score 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, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 47 based on 32 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[10] Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4, describing it as a "nasty piece of business", and faulted the studio for marketing the film as a teen comedy.^[11]

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.^[4]

Awards and nominations[]

Soundtrack listing[]

References[]

External links[]

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• The Girl Next Door at IMDb