Went into this not expecting too much, but...

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2012)

The Girl Next Door is now a favorite movie in the teen genre.
Initially I was going to rate this a 7 but there are great plot twists that sneak up on you just when you think you know where it is going; so in all fairness this movie gets the 8 for not standing idly in cliché land.
Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert and Timothy Olyphant gel nicely as the leads. There were many laugh out loud moments including the AVN convention and the prom, but the awards dinner was possibly the best (tie scene and dancing).
While Emile and Elisha produce good chemistry and provide the plot foundation, it is the antagonistic relationship between Emile (Matt) and Timothy (Kelly) that keep you loving this movie. I could watch another movie based on these two alone.
The supporting cast of nerd friends serve the film well and provide excellent comedic relief.
On pondering what changes would make this movie rate as 9-10, I am still unsure because pushing the boundaries further might also push the movie too far across the absurdity line. However The Hangover was absurd and that was great fun, so I'll stick with the rating of 8.
It's unfair to label this movie as just a teen comedy because its got more juice and more squeeze than most.