they always say meeting a girl changes Everything

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2008)

I saw this movie back in 2005. I had heard so much about it that I figured I might as well see it. But I didn't have the time to finish it the first time I saw it (I only got to the strip bar scene). Now comes the interesting thing: I had not actually finished the movie until just last night! But I still remember my first impressions when I saw it 3 years ago. The introductory scenes were so well filmed and put together that they stayed with me in my mind all this time. The movie celebrates what we all one way or another dreaded seeing come to pass: graduation and commencement. American Pie celebrates it with a humorous and raunchy romp through very similar characters. But it was Risky Business that this movie conjured images of as I watched.
Girl Next Door tells us the tale of Matthew Kidman: a young high school student in his senior year (Emile Hirsch) and his two best friends: the mischievous Eli (Chris Marquette), and Klitz (Paul Dano) the the geek with a heart...on. Matthew has received a letter of acceptance from Georgetown, and needs to solidify his chance of winning a speech contest for a scholarship. His school life is on edge, as he struggles to keep high marks and still be himself (and come up with a decent speech).
But he can't help but notice that the other kids (the populars/jocks) are always so...free. They skip class. They go places. They do what they want. But he simply dismisses it as "because they don't care".
The rest of the movie goes on the notion that what if morality isn't everything. What if fun meant more? This interesting concept is further pushed when a new neighbor moves in next to him. Danielle (Elisha "god shes hot" Cuthbert) is a typical girl next door...shinny and vibrant and smoking hot. She's a blond with a killer body. And she used to do porn! Matthew definitely falls for her at first sight, but has no clue about her past. But gradually this pair of opposites attract. You get the impression that Cuthbert's character seems relieved to find a good guy. And she begins to entertain this little infatuation of his (really funny "dream" sequences).
His life is turned upside down as she shows him how to live fun and free. In the meanwhile, his absence in class has been noticed by both his teachers and his friends. Matthew tries to Eli about this new neighbor of his, but he instead tries to turn it into another sex fantasy. Matthew truly believes in what he's experiencing with this girl. That is, until Eli uncovers the fact that she's done porn! In another effort to turn the whole thing into a fantasy, Eli tells Matthew to pursue her "as if she's just a porn star". Matthew has to decide if Danielle wants the good guy or the bad boy.
I leave it there as the movie is just much too awesome for to me spoil. For those who have seen it and have read my comment, you'll find it funny how I managed to go 3 years without ever getting past the strip bar scene.
An absolutely true and daring movie, with the best message to deliver to our young graduates: the juice was definitely worth the squeeze.