The Girl Next Door

Plot synopsis:
Ambitious high school senior Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) has been accepted to Georgetown University, but cannot afford the tuition. He has raised $25,000 in order to bring a brilliant Cambodian student, Samnang, to study in the United States, but finds little else truly memorable about his high school experience. His life suddenly changes when charismatic Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) moves in next door. Matthew witnesses her undressing from his bedroom window, until she sees him and storms over, knocking on the door and introducing herself to his parents. They suggest to Matthew that he show Danielle around town.
While driving around, Danielle stops the car and forces Matthew to get out and strip for her. The two get to know each other through weird adventures, which includes Matthew finding himself in his principal's pool. He and Danielle sneak away and pick up his friends before going to a party. When a few of Matthew's athlete classmates attempt to get him away from Danielle and kick him out of the party, he finds the courage to walk right up and kiss her. Matthew's world is suddenly rocked the next day when his friend Eli informs him that Danielle is an adult film actress.
On Eli's advice, Matthew takes Danielle to a sleazy motel. Danielle, insulted, realizes that he has discovered her past and abruptly ends the relationship. Matthew later attempts to apologize and reconcile, but Danielle believes that she will never be able to escape her past and decides to return to the adult industry. Matthew tracks Danielle down at an adult film convention in Las Vegas where Kelly (Timothy Olyphant), a porn producer and Danielle's ex, menacingly warns Matthew not to interfere with his business. Matthew ignores him, convincing Danielle both to leave the adult industry and to begin their relationship anew.
Next morning, Kelly furiously abducts Matthew from school and assaults him, saying that Danielle's failure to film has cost him $30,000. Kelly offers to let Matthew erase his debt by stealing an award statuette from porn mogul Hugo Posh (James Remar), but once Matthew has entered the house Kelly calls in a burglary report and leaves the premises. Matthew narrowly avoids the police and rushes to a scholarship award dinner. High on ecstasy that Kelly gave him as aspirin, he gives a deeply sentimental speech but loses out on the scholarship.
Kelly exacts further revenge by stealing all the money Matthew raised for Samnang. Matthew fears that he will be implicated in the crime and expelled from school. He turns to Danielle for help in recouping his losses. Danielle calls in two friends from her porn star days, and they agree to make a video for Hugo Posh on prom night using Matthew's classmates as actors. After the successful shoot, Danielle and Matthew have sex in their limousine. Despite Danielle's past, it is the first time she has truly made love.
The next morning Eli calls Matthew, panicked because the prom night tape has been stolen, jeopardizing their hopes of financial recovery. Matthew enters his home to find Kelly (and the stolen tape) in his home, along with his parents and Principal Salinger. Kelly, in private, tells Matthew that unless he is given half of all profits, he will play the tape immediately for Matthew's family. Matthew dares him to show the tape, asserting that he no longer cares about his "now-ruined future," and Kelly obliges. Surprising everyone, Matthew and his friends have made a progressive, comprehensive sex ed tape rather than a porn film. With no more cards left to play, Kelly admits defeat as well as a grudging respect for Matthew.
Hugo Posh and Matthew make millions from the video. Hugo Posh pays for Samnang to come to the USA, while Matthew has enough money to attend Georgetown and take Danielle to DC with him. Matthew's story ends with him getting the girl of his dreams and a chance at the future he has always wanted.

Tags: pornographic, prank, flashback

Review:
Matthew, in the movie breaks threw this, and Danielle "makes love" for the first time.Eli, the local porn king, thinks he (sexually) knows it all, however, even the slightest sexual conduct, and he turns and runs (i.e. the porn star asking Eli/Klitz to feel his girlfriends breasts).
The relationship between Hirsh/Cuthbert is far more convincing then that of Cruise/De Mornay, and more importantly, there was no real foundation for the change in Cruises character, whereas Matthew is forced out of his shell by the life-of-fun character of Danielle.Unfortunately, Risky Business is unshakable from it pillar as one of the best movies ever.
When you see this, you'll expect a raunchy, borderline porn movie, but what you get is a refreshing, adorable, and sweet love story with great performances from Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert.Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch, The Emperor's Club, Lords of Dogtown) is not a geek by any means.
A few days before his speech on why he deserves the scholarship, Matt meets Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert, '24', Weezer's 'Perfect Situation video), a breathtakingly beautiful girl who (after a hilarious few scenes where they meet) he instantly falls for, and she falls for him.For the first part of the movie, you see Danielle, the near unfairly sexy girl, push Matt to limits he hasn't gone to, such as running in the street naked, swimming in a stranger's pool, and skipping school.
The movie's ending is so great and funny that you can't help but enjoy, not to mention mysterious, keeping you hanging by a thread the whole way through.Luke Greenfield has directed a movie that is so well liked and cherished, that I have never heard a bad thing against this film (I'm 17, and all my friends, guys and girls, loved it).
Responsibility for "The Girl Next Door"'s poor performance at the US box office - as well as over here - can be laid firmly at the feet of Twentieth Century Fox's marketing people; the tagline "Matt never saw her coming - but all his friends had!" made it seem like a full-on sex comedy, when it's actually a lot more than that; director Luke Greenfield and writers Stuart Blumberg, David T.
The movie also has the same mostly restrained view of its story where other movies would have played up the farce aspects - the only real hi-jinks come when the movie's plot takes in the Adult Film Convention in Las Vegas - but "The Girl Next Door" is a lot more engaging and has a lot more heart than "Risky Business" (good though that movie is, charm is not its strong point), with the title character seen as more of a person than a masturbatory object both by our hero and by the movie.
When she goes with a motel with him and starts to play up The Porn Star, you really hope they don't go through with it.The mood set up in the early stages is so convincing that when Olyphant's porn producer character turns up the movie seems to turn into another one entirely (and if you go to see this because of Elisha's "one for the men" status, I must warn you that she spends alarming amounts of time off-screen); it's still a good one, but it damages the overall movie's tone, and for most of the rest of the movie it veers back and forth between sweet and sleazy...
but the amazing thing is that "The Girl Next Door" actually manages to find a happy balance of the two by the time the prom climax arrives (with more echoes of "Risky Business" en route, for sure).True, there's no actual sex seen and little nudity, but the cast works so well and the movie's so sincere that by the end it doesn't seem like a ripoff.
With good use of songs blending with the score, well-done fantasy sequences, and a welcome dose of intelligence in its writing, "The Girl Next Door" is probably the most adorable movie to get an R rating since "Pretty Woman," and well worth seeing even if you don't have a thing for Kim off "24." But this isn't for the "Daily Sport" crowd.
This happens throughout the movie, making The Girl Next Door one of the most charming, smart and subversive teen comedies I've seen in a long time - beautifully written, perfectly cast, a real pleasure from start to finish.
Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert and Timothy Olyphant shine in their respective roles as the young man at a crossroads in his life, the girl next door of the title, equally confused, and the scuzball with a heart who knows he has to do the right thing even if it goes against his 'business instincts.' These characters are not one-dimensional, thanks to the superb writing, nor are they caricatures; they come across as genuine individuals, and the comedy in the film comes not at their expense but rather organically, as part of their journey.
Just Go With It. The Girl Next Door isn't a riotous, laugh-out-loud comedy, à la American Pie or Road Trip (don't get me wrong, I think they are fine movies of a different genre), nor should it be treated as such when being reviewed.
The casting director did a great job, placing Emile Hirsch opposite Elisha Cuthbert (both very talented young up-and-coming actors, I wish them well in luck, love and life).
Matthew's once planned out life is now lived more on the edge, and with that, he encounters some interesting characters, such as Kelly, the shady porn director, played flawlessly by Timothy Olyphant.However, as the film progresses, the movie didn't delve as deeply into Cuthbert's character as it should have.
Soon, Kelly and Matthew are attending strip clubs, meeting in Vegas and eventually, the two are involved in a robbery where Matt tries to win the freedom of the young Danielle.Much has been made of The Girl Next Door's resemblance to the 1983 Tom Cruise film Risky Business.
The High School situations have been updated, and I believed in how Matthew could be easily drawn into his world of love and admiration, something I didn't feel with Cruise and DeMornay.Don't get me wrong, The Girl Next Door will not have the impact of Risky Business nor will it be the catapult for either Hirsch or Cuthbert that Business was for Cruise.
Whereas adolescent films recently have skewed into gross out comedy in such entries as The New Guy, American Pie and Van Wilder, The Girl Next Door gives us something fresh, a progressive out of character plot backed by the love of a beautiful woman.All these funny and interesting struggles lead to the senior prom where the result might seem far fetched, but at least it seems as if the director meant it not to be taken with any notion of seriousness.
THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, Luke Greenfield's sexy yet sweet teen angst flick, owes a lot to both the RISKY BUSINESS premise (HS Senior, his goal a prestigious college, has his life turned 'upside-down' by world-wise 'Pro'), and the internal structure of John Hughes' 80's teen 'classics' (geeky hero, and his two geekier friends, gain acceptance and prestige through his relationship with a 'dream girl').Close your eyes, and you could easily picture the young Anthony Michael Hall or John Cusack filling Emile Hirsch's role, with Rebecca De Mornay or Kelly Preston replacing Elisha Cuthbert as his ex-porn star girlfriend.
While some critics tended to brush off Elisha Cuthbert's performance as just another skin-baring 'boy toy' variation, she actually conveys the vulnerability and pain of her character's past quite effectively, balancing it with sly humor and a LOT of 'sex appeal', done within the restraints of her "No Nudity" contract clause...Sorry, guys, while you'll see a LOT of her skin, you AREN'T going to see Elisha 'bare all'...The film is a very funny, breezy lark, and while it never achieves the heights of insanity of RISKY BUSINESS, it certainly stands as one of the better 'teen' comedies of the past few years!.
The music is spot on and the twists and turns will take your emotions on a roller-coaster ride.This film is perfect for watching alone, with friends or with your girlfriend because its "feel-good", "funny" and really "deep" and really deserves better credit as it's more than just an above average teen comedy.
eg (american pie) Timothy Olyphant is great as Kelly and Emile Hirsch plays the role well of the teenage kid who is blown away when he see the beautiful Elisha Cuthbert (who also shines in this being her first feature film) has moved in next door.The film is written superbly, the cast all fit their roles and are genuine and believable.
I felt this scene was really good as we got to see Danielle as a person and how she doesn't always want to b seen as a Porn Star.The interaction btween Danielle and Matthew was great - the chemistry was there alrighte - wish I was an actor and played the role of Matthew.One idea thoe I felt cud have lasted till the end is Danielle and Matthew getting together, it wud have been good if they got together just b4 the prom and the end not half way through it, as the second half of the film lacked spice I felt.Eli is one funny character - everytime he spoke he made me laugh and he reminds me of someone at my 6th form college.
But i hardly even see this film as a comedy, because underneath that Matt (Emile Hirsch) and Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) share a love that is more real and honest than any i have seen before.
In addition to the actors remarkable performances (another stand out one being Timothy Olyphant in the role of a porn producer) there is also a very strong script, which manages (for the most part) to be genuinely funny while still seeming real and passionate.Finally the soundtrack is outstanding providing brilliant songs that are perfect for the scene throughout.Overall i give this film 10 out of 10, and highly recommend you go and see it, just remember to keep an open mind..
Later, Matthew finds that Danielle was a porn star, but when her former boyfriend and producer Kelly (Timothy Olyphant) visits her and invites her to return to the porn industry, the situation gets out of hand of Matthews and he gets into serious trouble."The Girl Next Door" is a very sexy and funny comedy, and the confusions that Matthew gets into are hilarious.
The look on her face throughout the movie and in some scenes especially is so sincere she really brings the emotion of her character and the connection she has to Matthew to life.I know I am not saying much about the film which, in itself, I thought was good but the main reason to watch this film is to see what an amazing talent Elisha Cuthbert is.
A Great Work of Art. The movie was great it was about a high school senior Matt(Hirsch) that falls in love with a beautiful next door neighbor Danille(Cuthbert).
Cuthbert's performance as the sweet, caring, and unknown Danille is great, and Hircsh's performance as the hard-working student focused more on his future than what happens in his life is stellar, Olyphant's performance is to die for his up beat comedy and serious talks are great and not to be reckoned with.All in all the movie was great and I could watch it over and over again.10/10 stars.
I didn't expect a shakespearean tragedy instead i got a light, feel - good, slightly adult film.If you like the American pie, road trip, not another teen movie genre of film then you will love this, but i feel there is an edge to this film that those other out and out funny films don't have, there is a definite sentiment that the director tries to portray here and i think he wins.
No, not entirely.The film was although out not boring, not entertaining or too embarrassing, like American Pie can be :PThe humor was there in the right places, the storyline was good, and even included a twist.Of course it was not the popular football guys getting all the luck, of course the geeky main characters where so lucky to get their hands on something everybody else envies, and of course everything works out - but it was great entertainment from start to end..
To be honest I was very unsure about seeing The Girl Next Door, but now I'm glad I saw the film.The VERY beautiful Elisha Cuthburt plays Danielle, a former porn star who left the industry and wants a normal life.
Emile Hirsch plays Matthew who is infatuated with Danielle when she moves in next door to him.I didn't find it overly funny, but did find myself glued to the screen dying to find out how it ends and how the characters end up because I loved the story.This was also the best I've seen Timothy Olyphant act.I'm giving The Girl Next Door 8 out of 10.
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.
Second, there a tons of quotable lines that could be you can use, without many people knowing where you got them from, and it also highly lives up to it's "Romantic Comedy" status (although quite different to normal Rom Coms), with a nice twist at the ending.Matthew Kidman (played by Emile Hirsch) is in his senior year of High School.
A teen movie is not ususally my sort of film, but I like a good comedy and Elisha always brights up a man's day so I decided to give it a whirl.
When I first rented this movie, I was actually expecting to watch another usual teen comedy, but, what I wound up seeing was the 2006 version of how a boy who is graduating learns the real meaning of how to respect another person.
Timothy Olyphant is hilarious as Danielle's manager.Another good thing about The Girl Next Door is that if you look beyond just the movie, you'll see the film actually has useful messages.
An enticing movie, The Girl Next Door is a story involving the typical loser, Matthew Kidman, played by Emile Hirsch and "Danielle", played by Elisha Cuthbert.Danielle is the girl next door, the ex pornography star who decides that the ordinary life is the good life, while Matthew is the affixed neighbour who falls in love at first sight.Character development is strong, helping to maintain director Luke Greenfield's steady pace.
Such were everyone's expectations for "The Girl Next Door" Luke Greenfield's 2004 contribution to the genre, starring Elisha Cuthbert and Emile Hirsch, the advertising emphasis on the former.Matthew Kidman (Hirsch) is a slightly repressed, highly unfulfilled near-graduate who aspires to win a scholarship to Georgetown on the basis of Moral Fiber.
What tips the film over from romantic comedy to teen comedy is not the presence of teenage characters, but the point when Matthew learns the perfect Girl Next Door is a porn-star.If the premise sounds 'typically teen' and derivative of the much more successful 80's flick "Risky Business", then that's because it is, on both counts.
Elisha Cuthbert's performance is especially good as the sexy title character, Danielle: she pulls the character's air of hidden innocence off with great skill.Behind all the great humor and characters, The Girl Next Door's story and direction are just plain terrific, and for once in a teen sex comedy, there is a presence of vision.
looks like a really fun person to know.also Eli and Klits are a funny partnership (jousting scene is good) take my advice watch this film and if u don't like it you have bad taste and there is something wrong with you.despite the fact that people title this as a teen movie it is good for other ages and its humour is not slapstick, more slow, but you have to think about it( this does not stop it from being hilarious) Great soundtrack as well as good camera technique Elisha, why aren't you more famous in england.
The main character Matt is your straight A student with goals of going to Georgetown and becoming a politician.He and his friends are facing their last year in high school and they are somewhat nerds.Matt then sees a beautiful girl in a window of his neighbors house.After a little street performance they start to spend time together....eventually dating.Then the trouble hits.If you haven't seen of heard anything about the movie then I won't ruin it for you.The long and short of it is that this is a unique comedy that turns into a true romance film.I love this movie,the way it was shot,the comic elements,and the romantic elements all make this movie a true classic in the comedy field.I think you should definitely rent it if nothing else.Totally worth a watch.Oh and Timothy Olyphant is Hilarious as Kelly.He should win an Oscar for his performance..
It seemed like he has his whole life planned when a girl named Danielle(Elisha Cuthbert) who happens to be a porn star, moves in next door.The movie is just an all around great romantic comedy.