Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (DVD, 2007)

When I heard they where making Jack Ketchum's book into a movie I was seriously doubtful it would be any good. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Not as graphic as the book, with would be hard considering the content and the underage actors, but it definitely keeps to the spirit. A great movie and book based on a horrible true crime. Good to fair acting, well filmed, decent scripting/dialog, disturbing without being too graphic. Highly recommended!

Sorry for my english but i have to review this :)
This movie is the best movie i saw the last year and i see tons of movies. Its based on a true american story of a pure atrocity. The movie is really really shocking im warning you. I saw it at a movie festival and lots of people were leaving the room. This movie talks about abuses and atrocities but its interessant to see the links with the sexual development in teenagers and the difficulty to choose between love and acceptation by your friends.

This movie is to remind you that violence is not funny. Violence is horrible

Im warning you again..

Don't see it if you don't want to be shocked

For all others ... Buy at any prices my best 2007 movie

Colonel Chi

I have not received this movie. I did receive the other ones I have ordered, but I haven't received The Girl Next Door. I'm not sure what to do next but I would like this movie sent to me since I paid for it as soon as I bought it. Thank you for any help that you can give me.

This fictional based movie uses the details of torture from the true life murder of Sylvia Likens (Indiana Torture Slaying) to create B Class movie and new characters and story line.

Not impressed with the acting in this movie, nor the liberties taken.

I decided to buy this DVD because I read the book. Ofcourse, like all movies - the book is always better since you envision all the specific details.

I really loved the story, its not only unbelievable because of how evil people can really be but the fact that it is based on the true story.

I teared (more like cried) of how "ruth"less it was, yet I couldn't seem to look away or tolerate any distractions while I was watching it.

I recommended this movie to my husband (since he doesn't like reading) and I even had my sister and her husband watch the movie too. It is truly unforgettable!

i saw this movie on tv and was so suprised to see that ebay had it. and for free shipping. i loved it and can't wait to get it in the mail. i was very suprised at how cheap it was and how fast it went on its way.

I like the movie specially because it's a true story. It's a must watch for anybody who what's to see the abusive life of a teenage girl. Must watch. The shipping was a little long besides that good service thank you.

very disturbing movie based on true events of the indiana torture slaying. disturbing images are present in this movie though, not for younger crowds under 17.

The movie seemed amazingly real due to great acting and makeup. It is sickening as you watch this movie and realize that it really happened. You keep thinking....why doesn't somebody let someone know whats going on...let alone participating in it. It maintains a good pace without any slow parts and keeps you glued to you seat until the end.

This movie definitely takes viewers to the edge! I'm surpised it could even be made and distributed (thank god all our liberties are not gone). I concur with most of what's been said here but want to add that I really like the fact that this is such a good production done on a very limited budget. Unlike one of the viewers, I thought the acting was great. The actress who plays Ruth is so convincing that I'd run the other way if I ever came face to face with her. As for the prudish folks who decry this movie, I have to ask you a question: How many days have you let your kids watch the killings that invade your home via television every night?

To me An American Crime was a far superior movie, and I say wait until the end of August for it's release on DVD. This movie was an okay movie with adequate acting (there was not on particular stand-out performance in the bunch), with an inept script which should have stayed true to the storyline in which it was adapted from. Instead they change names, change the sexes of just about everyone in the entire sadistic family involved. The film itself wasn't as riveting as An American Crime, it offered alot more graphic violence that did nothing to enhance the story itself. I bought this movie with great expectations, but it fell way short. I thought it would be enough to hold me over until the release of An American Crime, it failed in that respect also. If it had only stayed true to the Likens tragedy, it would have been so much better without all of the gratutious vilence.

Talk about being numb to your seat. Even though I've been warned I was still angered by it. I never cuss and fuss so much towards a film in my life. As a parent I was totally appalled of all the actions that took place towards the sisters. Just because your (Ruth) life ended up bad doesn't mean you can take it upon a child. She's lucky I didn't bump into her in the streets but fortunately enough she got what she deserves. In the beginning of this film, it revolves around David (played as an adult by William Atherton, the seminal 1980s), who after seeing a man hit by a car, recalls his youth and meeting Meg Loughlin (Blythe Auffarth), a 13 year old daughter of a gypsy left with her mother under the care of Ruth (Blanche Baker) and her sons. The young David (played by Daniel Manche) grows fond of his neighbors and Ruth, as she lets the boys drink beer, smoke cigarettes, and give them whatever they want. However, Ruth grows spiteful of Meg and her younger sister Susan (Madeline Taylor), crippled from polio. She starts with verbal abuse, and it soon turns into something more violent, as Ruth and her sons tie up Meg in the basement, and allow the neighborhood kids to torture her with cigarette burns, rape, and branding hot needles into her skin. David seems helpless, but slowly tries to find the courage to help her.

The film starts out like any coming of age film, where David meets his new neighbors and the first act shows David's induction into Ruth's house. The second act begins the torture, and the third act is David's belated reaction to do something about it. It is successful on the filmmakers to have me react so strongly every time Ruth and her sons appeared on screen, because I know that's what they are going for. However, I felt that the process they used felt more exploitative than most. It shows in a scene before Meg's torture, where Ruth punishes Susan by dropping her pants and spanking her with a toilet bowl cleaner. We only see a view from below the bed, where Susan lies, but to see her braces fall to the ground as each slap is heard just felt sickening. The slow torture of Meg was very unpleasant to watch, and just went to a level so far it became exploitative. I know this really happened, but it didn't need to go to that level to show the point they needed to make. The director did state that the kids weren't there for explicit scenes but they were all there for Meg's first scene at the basement.

Blythe Auffarth undeniably gave a brave performance as Meg, giving one of the most gut wrenching performances I've seen in a film. It is her suffering that sells the film and she succeeds admirably. Not every actress would do this role, and she should be applauded. Blanche Baker is such an evil (BEEP) as Ruth that she just made my stomach churn at her presence. Her sons were all played well as spoiled brats enjoying the evil acts they are doing, showing that children can prove to be as cruel as adults. These kids make Stewie from FAMILY GUY look like Opie Taylor. William Atherton is good as the adult David, but his scenes feel out of place and don't really provide any resolution. I've always liked Atherton as an actor, and I wish he had more to do. Some of the reviewers here along with my friends at Amazon had stated that "The Girl Next Door" is the most shocking for 07' and probably for the decade which I too agree upon. It's well directed, brilliantly acted (by some), and well written, but overall it's a film not made for th

I have to say... I am glad that I watched this movie. I have heard of the Sylvia Likens torture/murder (I reside in Indiana) and definitely wanted to see this movie since it was based on her story.

This movie is very, very graphic and very gut-wrenching. It's unbelievably hard to watch but it does show how sick and twisted real people in this world can be. I think people should watch this movie only if they are prepared for gruesome torturing and only if they are interested in the Sylvia Likens murder. I don't think I could have watched it if it was purely fictional. That is because it takes a sick mind to make these things up... but they're not made up in this film. Some things are exaggerated or changed up ("Sylvia" is not even named Sylvia) but from what I have researched on her torturing and murder, it was equally as horrific.

I must say, until I bought this movie, I was not familiar with the writings of Jack Ketchum. I am an avid reader/movie watcher. This film is the most disturbing movie I have ever seen! It is very hard to stomach at times. My husband and I were shocked yet couldn't stop watching. It is truly offensive at times, HOWEVER... it is unforgettable and VERY touching. I loaned it to all of my friends and we talked about it for weeks. If you like twisted and sick movies, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE... BUT DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED!