Not as clever as "Risky Business," but more daring than "American Pie"

Rating: 10/10 (24 August 2004)

It wasn't long before and after the release of "The Girl Next Door" that the inevitable comparisons to the teen sex comedies of yesteryear began. But I begin with rock-solid reassurances that those comparisons are unnecessary and uncalled for. It's not as clever as the 1983 comedy starring Tom Cruise, but it's more daring in its exploits than "American Pie."
"Risky Business" was released in 1983 amidst a blossoming season of raunchy teen movies (and so was "The Girl Next Door") and both films featured a young man (Tom Cruise then, Emile Hirsch here) who are on their way to bright futures but get caught up in the mess they've made following a brief walk on the wild side. Their stepping into the wild side is initiated by a chance meeting with a beautiful girl who captures their hearts (Rebecca De Mornay then, Elisha Cuthbert here).
It is right then that the differences first begin to appear. Back in good old 1983, when Tom Cruise was just becoming the heartthrob that he is today in 2004, he was a more picturesque definition of a ladies man - being that he had charisma, confidence and sex appeal. Fast forward to 2004, with rising actor Emile Hirsch, who is more of a flake, definitely less attractive than someone like Tom Cruise, and therefore that makes Hirsch easier to relate to.
"The Girl Next Door" is more daring than "American Pie" in its delivery of the raunch. Guys have dreamed for ages about meeting the "girl next door," who is played perfectly by "24" star Elisha Cuthbert and who most definitely looks like the woman of some lonely guy's sex fantasies. But the thing is, she's a porn star, as Hirsch finds out; this is where "Pie" is surpassed. In "Pie," the most a man could do was just dream about being in the same room as Shannon Elizabeth and not screwing up; consequently, that's about as far as poor Jim (Jason Biggs) got in that movie.
Did I like "The Girl Next Door" when I saw it for the first time on DVD today? Most definitely, as it is one of the most touching romantic-sex comedies that I've ever seen. There is not nearly as much raunch here as the previews might lead one to believe. Sexhounds will be sorely disappointed that sexy Elisha Cuthbert doesn't bare it all in this movie, but several real life porn stars do!
The romance between the two leads is sweet and touching; above all, I found it to be more believable than I find most teen sex comedies to be nowadays.
10/10