Raunchy antics with heart and unusual gravity

Rating: 8/10 (21 November 2015)

The Girl Next Door dressed itself up in a bubblegum marketing campaign of American Pie- esque ditziness as well as a promise of sleaze, lowbrow humour and good old fashioned brain dead teen sex comedy sluttiness. Couldn't have subverted expectations more than it did. Don't get me wrong, a whole lot of it is exactly what I just said it wasn't in my first sentence above, but alongside that that super crude, millennial carnality is a story with a head and heart in either hand, and it's mind in the right place. A silly, eye rolling sex- scapade no doubt, but one with well drawn characters, a terrific script, and a wonderful sense of bawdy fun that calls to mind the comforting nostalgia of a National Lampoon flick, married with the off colour tinge of a 60's sex comedy. Nnever does it lose sight of the feelings, struggles and desires of its two lead actors. Emilie Hirsch is equally vulnerable and gutsy as Matthew, a high school introvert with no experience in the realm of all things female. He's tantalized by his new neighbour Danielle, an ex porn star played by Elisha Cuthbert. Cuthbert has never been as good as she was here (not even playing Jack Bauer's daughter) or as goddamn sexy. She balances a tricky role that could have easily strayed into easy titillation with laid back reactions and down to earth charm that carries the movie. She's amused by naive Matthew, eventually attracted, and ultimately smitten. Matthew learns that lust is only skin deep and real attraction comes from stuff like eye contact and conversation, and that sex is only something special when one knows who one is with to begin with. Nice little allegory for eager beaver male youth, and a pearl of wisdom I really wish I was privy to at his age. Trouble arrives in the form of Danielle's horrendously captivating ex boyfriend, porn director Kelly, played with slick acid tongued alpha male sleaze by irresistible Timothy Olyphant, looking like Hugh Hefner had a kid with Wolverine, before he took up the mantle of Raylan Givens. You see, Danielle clearly believes she's no better than a career as a porn actress, and it takes the simple devotion of Matthew, a high school nebbish who has learned to see her as more than just an Old Milwaukee pinup girl at the end of the rainbow, but as the genuine object of his affections, to convince her otherwise. The fact that such a touching arc for both of them exists in such a loud and proud gross out sex romp of a comedy is proof of life from both writer, director and cast alike. This is a fun flick too, every character a whip smart, realistic depiction of people we've all met in our post growing up exploits. Matthew's two hapless high school chums are priceless, payed by a hyperactive, horndog Chris Marquette and an awkward Paul Dano. James Remar, that old dog, shows up in a wink and nudge role as Danielle's hilarious ex boss, porn king Hugo Posh. The film's anchored by the unexpected substance hiding just below its apparently superfluous exterior shell. Plus, it's an absolutely hilarious, raunchy flick that will give you a boner, make you sopping wet with all kinds of bodily fluids, and put a big goofy grin on your face and make you let out a nice romantic sigh all at once. Sexy romantic comedy heaven.