CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.
Film Review: Story Won’t Go All the Way in ‘The Boy Next Door’
CHICAGO – There was a different kind of vibe coming from the thriller “The Boy Next Door,” different than what is expected when hearing “Jennifer Lopez as teacher caught in a scandal with a student.” But for every piece of original thinking, there was a fear of making it too different.
Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
A Jennifer Lopez film that is willing to have a steamy J-Lo love scene, a new attitude for the typical male high school dream boat, plus inappropriate violence and nudity can’t be all bad, especially when anticipating (or not) a flick with Lopez’s name above the title. There are a few – dare I say – Hitchcockian nuggets in the scenario, with some of them actually landing, but overall the necessity to make everything come out right for the J-Lo character was enough to torpedo the overall result. This is not a bad film, but it is lacking.
Claire (Jennifer Lopez) is a woman separated from her husband Garrett (John Corbett) for nine months. Garrett cheated on her, and the sting of that infidelity has made Claire extremely vulnerable. When a 18 year-old stud muffin named Noah (Ryan Guzman) moves in next door to care for his elderly uncle, Claire begins thinking some impure thoughts about the seemingly perfect man child.
When an attempt at a date fails miserably, Claire ends up at Noah’s home, and is seduced by him. Waking up the next morning, the hangover of this indiscretion is all guilt and fear of losing her job, especially in context of her teenage son Kevin (Ian Nelson) and experiencing the frightening reaction when Noah realizes the relationship is over. Claire has gained a stalker, at the same time Garrett comes back into the scene and the new school year begins.
Claire (Jennifer Lopez) is a Victim of Circumstances in ‘The Boy Next Door’
Photo credit: Universal Pictures