Next Door (2005) User Reviews (54)

Sexy neighbours in a claustrophobic apartment building

[The_Void · 7/10 · 19 December 2006]

What we have here is a simple, claustrophobic little movie that works thanks to its focus on nastiness on an intriguing surreal atmosphere that constantly intrudes on the sex-charged plot line. The film is a Scandinavian co-production, and this makes it all the more interesting as there aren't a great deal of successful horror movies hailing from this part of the world. The film is short running at just seventy two minutes, but this is definitely a good thing if you ask me as too many films bog themselves down with any number of needless subplots, whereas Next Door keeps it short and sweet, with just the central major subplot taking a central role. The plot focuses on John, a man who has just been left by his girlfriend, for slightly hazy reasons. Left alone in his apartment, he soon bumps into his neighbours - a couple of sexy women who seem all too interested in him. As things start to get more and more weird, it soon becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems...

I'd heard that Next Door was one of the nastiest films in years - and while I now think that was said by someone who hasn't spent a lot of time checking out the pleasures of cult exploitation cinema, it has to be said that Next Door isn't really for the feint of heart. The film features sex and violence, and some of the time it features together - which will no doubt please the BBFC no end when they get their filthy mits on the film. The production values are high quality, however, and while the film doesn't feature anything that would cut into a low budget - the crisp cinematography wins it an extra helping of credibility for sure. The acting is also rather good, and the central four actors fit into their respective roles nicely. Director Pål Sletaune obviously has a respect for this sort of film, and the fact that he is keen to implement as much tension and mystery as possible is definitely to the film's credit. Overall, I wouldn't go as far as to say that Next Door is to the standard of a lot of the classic exploitation films – but it's very good for a modern film, and horror fans won't want to miss it.

Agree with other reviewer that this is very good

[Atavisten · 7/10 · 11 April 2005]

and I quite liked the music, but I didn't know the composer. One to check out to be sure. Like the other reviewer I would compare it to Polanski, I kept thinking about 'The Tenant' watching this. The atmosphere are a bit of the same, claustrophobic and strange. We don't know whats going on in there, but it sure doesn't feel right. That said, the script isn't all original, but its still a very good take on it.

Actors are well chosen and did it very well. The two girls in particular create some really uncomfortable situations and are a great team. Kristoffer Joner is an excellent actor also and does a fine job here. The Swede deserves a mention as well.

Director Pål Sletaune is one to watch. He is soon changing status for me from talented to a very good director. The future of Norwegian film looks very bright.

It has some very minor flaws which you barely notice as the movie speeds away.

David Lynch be aware for next door

[trashgang · 7/10 · 21 January 2009]

When this gem came out in 2005 I noticed a review that it was a chiller, a cult one. So I started searching for Naboer, as is the original title. Also noticeable is the fact that it got a rating +18. Never before this movie it was ever given to a movie coming from Norway (in the genre). Here in our region there is a label coming out as Mr Horror bringing out the gems that weren't released and guess what, nr 14 on his list is Naboer. Bought it straight away and watched it immediately. Well, this flick is a beauty. It isn't really a horror movie it's more a psychological one. But it has his gory moments. One of those moments is the scene that has given it the +18. The love scene really get's bloody in some way. I won't spoil the plot but I can tell that some of you out there will have to watch it twice to get it. It's really in the Lynch style, beautifully filmed and really believable actors. Once again a low budget gem. You see, it doesn't have to come from Hollywood to be a good one. Now available here in the Benelux, watch out, it's spoken in the Norwegian language and only has dutch/french subtitles. Normally I don't give that easy a 7/10 but this is the real stuff...

The Mind's Eye

[tedg · 1 October 2006]

I usually fall all over myself for films with this structure. Its such a cool idea to enter a dream world, or a haunted one. The folds are shuffled so we have the familiar unreliable narrator. And we have the device of the building. Its so, so very effective to use a set of rooms for the mind, at least it has been elsewhere.

And so cinematic (but unoriginal) to have rape be violent and dementing.

So whoever conceived this thing knew what he was doing. And it could have worked. In fact it should have and I'm really unhappy that it didn't. The actors do seem up to it. There seems to be no fear about showing disturbing violence, but amazing avoidance of anything prurient. Why? The entry, the containment.. The obsession with being within at any cost... his profession as an architect creating spaces that contain... The girls involved next door, the ones that talk about plumbing...

So many parts, enough to make a rocket. And so much fear on the part of the filmmaker. Think what Cronenberg would have done with this notion. What he has.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

Quite and intense thriller...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 13 November 2019]

The 2005 Norwegian thriller "Naboer" (aka "Neighbours", but somehow got the English title "Next Door") turned out to be a rather enjoyable movie.

I hadn't heard about "Naboer" prior to this late in 2019, when I happened to stumble upon it and took the time to sit down and watch it. I didn't know whom was starring in it, what it was about, or anything aside from knowing it was Norwegian and that it was a thriller.

When I saw that Kristoffer Joner starred in the movie, then I must admit that my expectations to the movie suddenly went from being none to actually having high hopes for the movie. Why? Well, because he is really a good actor and he is great at handling different types of characters.

I will say that I was entertained, thoroughly and properly entertained by what was presented by writer and director Pål Sletaune, not to mention some stellar acting performances put on by Kristoffer Joner, Julia Schacht and Cecilie A. Mosli.

The movie is a type of thriller that definitely will have the audience in an iron grip and have the audience trying to figure out what was going on. And the way that director Pål Sletaune built up the story and the atmosphere was just brilliant, and it worked so fabulously in favor of the movie.

If you find yourself given the chance to sit down and watch "Naboer", then you should definitely do so, because this is a very enjoyable thriller. I am rating it six out of ten stars.

see blood, think ketchup

[belizec · 7/10 · 15 April 2010]

i started watching this film not knowing what i could expect. don't know why, but i decided to watch it without reading the reviews first. and i must say i really enjoyed it, until it got to that bloody violent sex scene. both erotic and disgusting, i'm not sure i'd like to see it again. at that point i wasn't sure whether i should watch this film any further or not. i even thought about giving away the DVD! but i couldn't get it off my mind, so i continued watching. luckily, that was the only sickening part, and i started liking the film again.

all in all, the plot may be predictable, but i found it interesting and worth watching (minus that horrific sex scene, i'd skip it any day). the ending didn't disappoint me and the music did a good job in keeping me tense (even more than the story itself).

I feel I've seen it before; not bad, but not very good either.

[OldManFromScene24 · 6/10 · 12 April 2005]

Naboer is not a bad movie, but it's no very good either. The claustrophobic atmosphere, the sound effects (especially the punches), the acting, etc was very good. The problem is the story and plot. I feel that I've seen this movie before. I understood way to early the whole story and the plot, who was real and who was not. The movie gave us too obvious clues too early (like the dinner plate) and I was disappointed when the plot unraveled just as I predicted. I liked the movie and I hope there will be made more dark Norwegian thrillers like this, Villmark and Insomnia.

This is my opinion. I saw Naboer together with four others (two guys and two girls). The guys felt the same as myself, but the girls loved it. If you're not a film freak like myself I'll think you'll enjoy Naboer (maybe especially if you're a girl)

4 stars out of 6

it''ll turn you around

[dlbr · 7/10 · 21 February 2007]

i bumped on this film totally by accident.in fact my girlfriend found it on the shelf of a place where we rent DVD-s. So i didn't had any big expectations on this movie.i watched only Drowning ghost of Norge films.And this one turned out to be a really nice surprise and spent 75 minutes expecting the expected ending.But this one is a psychological roller-coaster that turns you for 180 degrees and you can just stand paralyzed in the end thinking what happened to the nice boy.Excellent acting all.Bravo!!!Scandinavian film producers should definitely try to keep the good work and we expect many great movies.A big relief from all those Hollywood 1ooooooooooooo million budget plastic movies(not all are). if you love this kind of flicks take some time watch this one.

Psychosexual assault on the viewer.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 9/10 · 28 June 2009]

"Naboer" is a truly dark and unsettling psychosexual thriller in the vein of "The Tenant".John's girlfriend has left him and apparently already moved on to a new relationship.Julia Schacht and Cecilie A. Mosli star as neighbors Kim and Anne who live in a large flat next door to John.Invited in on the pretext of moving a large piece of furniture, John soon finds himself pulled into the strange,twisted world of hellish sexuality and violence that exists next door.The atmosphere of "Naboer" is remarkable and truly claustrophobic.Confusion and uncertainty permeate nearly every scene.The sex scene coupled with disgusting beating is strangely arousing.The film has also deeply voyeuristic feel and the scenes of sexual violence are pretty hard-hitting.The main performances are brilliant and the climax is quite surprising."Naboer" is surely not for the easily offended.9 out of 10.

Rationalizing delusion

[K-nightt · 7/10 · 29 November 2009]

Spoilers lie herein...

Wow.. a rather short film. Quite simply put, I did find it a strong message on how violence somehow needs to be justified by the psyche through re-creating the experience with a more palatable guise. In other words, even psychosis needs to find its own safe haven. People commit absolutely abominable acts, but this indeed stems from an impulse that, at some point, makes perfect sense to them. But sometimes even the rawness of the act per se is intolerable and needs to be masked as something else. In the case of this film (stop reading if you haven't seen it yet), he murdered his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. The acts were brutal, but his consciousness splintered (to a certain degree) in order to create a delusion that would not be as shocking to his fragile mind.. in the case of the sexual violence, it was justified by the overt sexual advances of Kim and her repeated beating of John; in this light, he had "permission" to hit back, thereby allowing justification of what ensued. People kill when their own survival is threatened... John saw his own definition of self in peril... that is, a relationship with a woman who satisfied his perverse whims (creating outlandish tales of past sexual experiences).. when she threatened to leave him, his life as he knew it was jeopardized, and he needed to kill off the double threat (Ingrid and Ake).. as it is, this perverse view of self is what kept his psychosis encapsulated and, when it was shattered, he lost it. I loved the concept of the film, it drew me in less than I had hoped. I enjoyed the performance of Kristoffer Joner very much, but felt that some of the others' came off as strained. Very enjoyable nonetheless.. I did feel a twinge of sympathy for John.. his life will be one of seclusion till the end of his days.

Sex, violence and psychosis

[Chris_Docker · 5/10 · 6 August 2006]

Sex, violence and psychosis - what more could you want for a down and dirty late night horror movie? Even if when you get them all together it may set off censorship bells . . .

John has split up with Ingrid, his girlfriend of two years and, as she calls to gather her stuff from his flat, we gather that the split was not entirely amicable. Soon after, John's vampish neighbours, the older, slightly dominating Anne, and the young, sexually impulsive and vulnerable Kim, persuade him into their flat. They know all about his break-up with Ingrid (they heard it through the wall) and are a bit creepy - for instance, they keep a wardrobe pushed against the door to the flat.

John is not exactly an easy-going laid-back guy. One of the girls tells him a sexually explicit story to arouse him after trapping him in the flat. When he finally starts to succumb, she initiates a violent sadomasochistic game, drawing him in with the promise of sex. After some brutal lovemaking he is shocked when he looks in the mirror and sees the amount of blood on his face. Strange coincidences start appearing and flashbacks suggest John is turned on by violence. Kim and Anne tell different versions of events and John soon feels trapped mentally as well as physically. Like all good horror movies, it ends up nastily and we breathe a sigh of relief as all is explained and we can catch the friendly night bus home, secure in the knowledge that nothing is going to jump out at us.

Next Door pushes limits by including the sex and violence together. The fairly liberal British Board of Film Censors, for instance, says it may, "intervene with portrayals of sexual violence which might, e.g. eroticise or endorse sexual assault." The fact that the sexually violence that we see is largely consensual may allow it to creep through uncut. In its home country of Norway, the film is the first to get an 18 rating in 17 years. You would be right in thinking it is not for the squeamish.

The film has a clever idea as the basis of all the goings on, but if you watch without the recommended several glasses of strong lager you may find you guess the ending all too easily. It is slightly stifled by a derivative feel - like a bad copy of David Lynch of Alfred Hitchcock - and could have benefited from some better pacing to allow the audience to catch its breathe between shocks. For all Next Door's ingeniousness, the camera-work hardly makes the most of the subject matter - although more careful framing and dramatic editing might have notched up the chances of the censors demanding cuts. On a more serious level, the film is quite a reasonable allegory on repression and erotic psychosis. One way or another, it may well earn your grudging attention - just don't try the techniques with your date.

Thumbs up

[birgmann · 8/10 · 2 October 2005]

I saw this film yesterday, at the second Reykjavík International Film Festival, and I did not know what to expect. It is the third movie from the Norwegian director Pål Sletaune. In 1998 Variety pronounced him one of the ten most promising directors worldwide. I knew this was a psychological thriller with strong sexual undertone, and that is definitely what it is. Wow!!! I was amazed. This film is a shocker! At this one scene my wife said she almost had to vomit!!! After this scene she had to watch the film through her fingers. The performance of Kristoffer Joner (leading actor) is excellent. This is one of the best films I have seen this year. Not for softies.

Great thriller with a weird plot

[ninjapig-44012 · 7/10 · 10 November 2021]

I've never seen anything like this in Nordic film. It's an erotic, psychological thriller, horror-esque in tone, AND it's executed well. Actually, at some parts, this movie is great! It really nailed the tension-building, and I have to commend the acting of everyone involved. It's a small cast, but they all felt very believable. The part where this movie falls a bit short is in the ambiguous plot. The movie does well with keeping you on edge, but once the credits roll, you are not completely satisfied with what you've been given. I'm sure there are lots of questionable things in the plot itself, but the thing I object to the most are the motives of the main character. It didn't really come together the way the filmmakers intended. The plot could have been great, but this sort of storytelling was maybe just too hard to pull off. Anyway, don't let that ruin a great experience! This is a gem in Nordic film, so watch it!

A Nutshell Review: (SIFF) Next Door

[DICK STEEL · 5/10 · 15 April 2006]

So you've just broken up with your girlfriend and she has moved out of your flat. Your life is miserable, and you're now all alone. But wait, suddenly you realize that your neighbours are a pair of hot chicks, you're strangely attracted to them, and they're giving you the come-hithers. What do you do? John's in such a predicament. His girlfriend Ingrid has left him for another guy, Ake. Depressed, he chances upon his beautiful neighbours Anne and Kim, neighbours he never knew existed, but neighbours who know exactly what has transpired between him and Ingrid, through wafer thin walls. John feels uneasy at the sudden discovery of his lack of privacy, exposing himself to strangers who know about his private life in detail. The questions now are, who are they, and what do they want? A seemingly innocent request to help look after Kim, turned out to be one mind-game after another. The statements and stories Anne and Kim tell seem to cancel out each other, and leaves our protagonist totally lost and suspicious. But before you know it, the much touted S&M scene starts, and I pretty much guess that most would have felt that it was a little too brutal, with the bare-knuckle punches and bitch slaps smack right into the face of both love makers. Painful I tell ya.

It's a psychological thriller, made appealing by a well-cut trailer. However, the movie was rather slow to develop, but picked up the pace much later and never let up right until the end. Then, your reaction will most likely be, "WTF!" It's a pretty simple storyline packed into 75 minutes involving all the characters, in one totally whacked out plot.

Don't buy into the hype.

Some people found the violence arousing. Plenty of Johns running around in the misfity world of film-buffy nerds.

[fedor8 · 3 January 2014]

People who pay attention to detail will have figured out fairly early that the two women don't exist, i.e. that all the events shown in the other apartment are merely John's hallucinations. Once I figured this out, which was about half-way through the movie (a little too early), the only question remained why he is hallucinating, and why this strange world is so violent and sex-obsessed. The answer is two-fold: 1) he is a schizophrenic with sado-sexual tendencies, and 2) he killed his ex-girlfriend and then her new beau. The delirium is a result of shock after committing the murders.

The biggest clue is in the first scene of the movie, when his ex tells John that she brought along her new boyfriend for protection. The second clue is the girls' over-the-top bizarre behavior. The clues eventually start multiplying at a greater speed, including the never-ending, enormous flat with strange corridors, and the totally unrealistic behavior of the ex's new boyfriend.

The conclusion is interesting and good. However, I have one major problem with the wrap-up: the identity of the two women remains unresolved. He's got a picture of Kim on his wall. Who is she? This should have been explained. The identity of the other woman, Anne, is even less clear. I dislike the idea that John's hallucinations have two very real people (the two people he had just murdered), a woman he knows but whose identity the viewer never finds out, and a woman he'd invented out of the blue. While this kind of hodge-podge of real/unreal characters isn't at all impossible (anything is possible in a schizo's mind), it does leave you with a sense of loose ends.

I would have preferred if the scene in which he sees Kim's photo was cut out of the movie. That would have made things neater: only the people he killed were a reality, whereas all the others are merely figments of his imagination. He does mention his sister at one point; is the writer implying that the violent fist-laden sexual fantasy was with her? Perusing through some of the other reviews here, I came across a "top reviewer" who actually admitted to being titillated/stimulated by the sexual violence – which only supports my claim that most film buffs are confused misfits. Many less favourable reviews compare "Naboer" to "The Lost Highway" or "The Spider". Lynch's TLH is a paper-tiger balloon filled with nothing; a piece of crap that hasn't an iota of logic or sense, with nothing tying into anything else. It's just a collection of mood pieces that are somehow supposed to convey a "story" or some pretentious point/message. As for "Spider", it was the beginning of Cronenberg's fall from grace; a dull, slow-moving drama that has very little going for it, and every movie he's made since has been awful. So even if "Naboer" borrowed a thing here and there, it is a much better movie than either of those.

Lacks a little in originality, makes up for it with creativity!

[nitzanhavoc · 7/10 · 11 October 2012]

Usually I have a bit of hard time with foreign films, I find it difficult to connect to the story and characters... Luckily, the Horror genre (which is my favorite)has been giving me many chances to practice.

I wouldn't say there was anything exceptional about Naboer. The acting is quite descent (and the female actresses playing Kim and Anne were excellent!) and allows a realistic sensation while watching. The story was quite original and rather sick, though not enough to make the film unbearable, only enough to qualify as horrific.

As for the "twist" - it lacks originality, but not creativity. I don't think many people would succeed in guessing the story's end. All in all - a good film, recommended to those who like smart story twists and foreign cinema.

Decent

[stompen · 7/10 · 29 October 2006]

I would say this is a step in the right way for the Norwegians. I believe I saw a flair of Hitchcock in there but far from the inventive filming. maybe some more provocative scenes would do the job. Nice mood but somewhat slow at times and too short for a feature. More "scenery" type sequences and confusion in the storyline would have been good. The track was OK and I think this movie will do well in the US with good marketing. Norway should start making the actors speak English in the films and this would be progressive enough for more international attention instead of such limited markets. I love that the "artsy fartsy" films are moving out and seeing some positive new filmmakers (such as myself) make brave new steps in Norway and the US.

Story is interesting, acting is good, I didn't like it

[siderite · 7/10 · 8 June 2009]

I know. It's me. It doesn't have anything to do with the movie which was very well acted and constructed. But I really do hate movies that try to depict the psychotic mind from within. How can I possibly relate to that? Together with the "they were actually dead" movies, it made no sense. Is it worth watching a movie that you understand nothing of just to get a one free out of jail card in the end and have the "ahhhaaa!" moment? Not to me.

Bottom line: Horror fans should love parts of it, there is suspense, eroticism, violence, a bit of blood, clear tributes to other cult movies, but in the end, the story can be told in 5 minutes and be done with it. My advice: don't read any more comments on the film, someone will undoubtedly spoil for you. Either watch it or don't.

Excellent Norway Film

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 11 September 2008]

Have not viewed many Norway films and I greatly enjoyed this story about a guy who just broke up with his girl friend and he is really down in the dumps and wishes things had worked out better between the two of them. This guy's name is John and he meets a young girl who lives next door to him and she asks him to do her a favor in moving a cabinet for her in front of the door. John thinks this very odd, however, he complies with the girl's wishes. There is another girl in the apartment and she does an outstanding job of trying to seduce John and the result is something you will have to find out when you watch this great drama. The music is fantastic and the Norwegians produced a great film.

Go Next Door for a Fun Trip into Film Noir and Horror - Great Movie!

[MovieMaddis · 10/10 · 18 April 2006]

Naboer tells the story of John, having recently been left by his girlfriend, he retreats into self imposed isolation in his somewhat claustrophobic apartment. As the story unfolds (some parts in flashback) John is approached by his alluring neighbor who seduces/drags him into an underworld of sadism and mysterious undercurrents of retribution for something John does not yet understand. Definitely unique in it's storytelling, Naboer treads on well told paths of scorned women terrorizing unsuspecting man, adding it's own twist which is sure to leave you replaying the movie in your mind.

Naboer is like a full bodied wine who's bouquet unfolds slowly in your mouth and just when you thought you had it figured, the aftertaste hits your senses and shocks you into the realization of what you have really been drinking. I have to admit that there were times, even when I had the movie figured it out, that I was concerned it would turn into a patronizing "gee see how we fooled ya!" moment. However, the director pulled it off. With a clever blend of atmosphere and suspense, the movie relies less on your powers of observation and strives more to tickle your senses and ultimately leave you with an uneasy, somewhat grotesque feeling as it winds to a close. Rather than slowly drag out the ending, he drops it right on your head and then allows the explanation to seep slowly from the screen making an all too simple answer seem unbelievably full bodied and satisfying.

The kicker to this film is the incredible 112 minute running time! Had this dragged out for another hour, no doubt this would have left a sour taste. Instead you are thoroughly engrossed in the pace and momentum and knowing that the film must race to reach it's conclusion only heightens the anticipation and elevates the sense of closure.

I would compare this film certainly to Polanski in it's sense of style and cinematography, but also to Christopher Nolan's Memento in the way that it delivers a one-two punch desert after a very satisfying meal.

The acting is superb with a stand out performance by Kristoffer Joner, making an unlikable protagonist compelling and empathetic. The rest of the cast is fantastic and quite realistic playing some very tense, scary and perverse characters.

See it, experience it, and then look forward to more of what this director has to offer.

Maddis 8/10

A Norwegian psycho-sexual mind bender

[RockPortReview · 7/10 · 17 June 2013]

"Next Door" is a Norwegian psycho-sexual mind bender, inspired by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch.

Taking place in a old apartment complex, John's girlfriend Ingrid has broken up with him. She is collecting the few remaining things she has left behind, while another man Ake waits for her in the car outside. John seems to be a regular mild mannered guy, but Ingrid has an uneasy fear of him. He doesn't know what he has done to make her leave and begs her to stay, but it useless. While in the hallway John is approached by Anne the girl next door, she needs his help in moving a cabinet. Anne lives with her sister Kim both women are young, sexy and mysterious. Everything about the girls and their apartment is a little strange and you start to wonder about their motivations and exactly who they are. The girls barricade themselves in their apartment with the cabinet in front of the door. We are told that it is to keep out the man who attacked Kim, but then she denies that she was ever attacked and that Anne has made it up.

Things get progressively more bizarre for John as fantasy and reality start to merge. There is something in John's past that's trying to break through. Are Anne and Kim even real? Throughout the story John is on a steady decline until the end when everything comes to a head.

"Next Door" could easily be an episode of the "Twilight Zone". It is short, compact and takes you on a very strange but interesting ride. It is available on DVD and definitely worth a look.

good effort, meager script

[thebucketrider · 5/10 · 1 July 2006]

In the opening scene, the protagonist's girlfriend comes into the apartment to move out on him, citing grievances that don't get explained, while her new partner waits outside. After the credits, said protagonist is asked over by a fetching neighbour to perform a seemingly pointless chore. The neighbour shares her apartment with an equally attractive roommate, both of whom appear to come on to our hero, while puzzling him some comments out of left field and contradictory stories. It is a fairly intriguing beginning which soon devolves into a decidedly abnormal relation when the man is coaxed back to their apartment and, abandoning his initial reserve, becomes a full participant in the neighbours' nuttiness. Unsubtle hints soon alert us that things are not to be taken at face value, at which point the spiraling weirdness ceases to generate much interest, at least for this viewer. I, for one, found the ending both excessive and boring. I daresay it is not a premise that would attract many viewers if presented up front. However, I must give credit to the director and lead actor for making the film as interesting as possible given its fluffy, inchoate script. I can easily see myself walking out on this story (which some people at the screening I attended did--and not only during the violent sex scene) had it been brought to the screen by less adroit forces.

Unusually Erotic Horror Thriller... From the Land of Black Metal

[gavin6942 · 8/10 · 3 December 2006]

John, who has recently been left by his girlfriend, is lured into his next door neighbors' apartment. Inside he finds two women (who claim to be attractive, but this is debatable), a seduction and some of the most bizarre mind-bending you'll see in a film (Norwegian or otherwise).

For some reason this film is translated as "Next Door" when the word "naboer" means "neighbor", but I guess literal translations aren't the thing. I mean, the movie "Mark of the Devil" is originally in German and means something like "Witches Bleeding, Tortured To Death"... so, hey, I guess Americans can call movies whatever they want.

"An homage to Roman Polanski with nods to David Lynch," says Variety. I don't know enough about Polanski's work to really comment on that, but the Lynch connection is clear. There are many occasions in this film where it is unclear whether the main character is delusional or sane. Although, the difference is this: in a Lynch film, you are left to come up with your own theory, while here the situation is cleared up satisfactorily.

I really enjoyed this movie. It played out really slow, but in such a way that the "Reveal" was well-paced and we were only given enough hints to keep going along while getting hungrier for more (like a carrot on a stick). Any slower and it would have lost me, any faster and it would be a short film.

Personally, I found certain scenes to be highly erotic and incredibly sexy. This might be just me, since the scenes also contain excessive violence. Should violence be sexy? I don't know, but in this case I was rather taken by the presentation. Like "Jenifer" which I just watched, the film blends the disgusting with the beautiful -- with surprising results.

This will not appeal to everyone. The film is certainly "bizarre" and the movie is subtitled, which some will not enjoy. But if you like David Lynch or have a craving for something you're not likely to find in your average film, this is the film for you. (Note: the film is considered "horror" and has horror elements, but I'd sooner put it under "suspense".)

Recent Norwegian movies

[revens-1 · 7/10 · 24 January 2006]

Although, nothing really surprised me during this too short movie, I could still feel the drama most of the time. Why, not because the story is that great, but technically, when it comes to editing, acting, music and camera angels, so forth, it is quite a good movie. I was not sure whether I wanted to give it 6 or 7, but to compensate with some negative feelings for other movies, I gave it 7 this time. I may change decision....

However, I am sick and tired of Norwegian newspapers glorifying Norwegian movies! They can be really lousy sometimes, but they still get good critics. UNO is a good movie, it deserved its awards and appraisals, and I would not compare it too much with what our Danish friends have produced. Hawaii Oslo, in contrary, was a huge disappointment. Technically good, but too ambitious, and I cannot understand how it could get the 6 out of 6 points from the critics. The story falls apart when the movie is at its best, and some actors and scenes really destroy what the whole show. A few other movies, such as Bare Egil, Øyenstikker, Tommy's Inferno, United, and last but not the least Izzat, are really crappy and waste of time. Some could be entertaining on a day with really bad hangover. Lets not even mention "Svidd Neger".

The best Norwegian movies are some of the small independent movies, not meant for the big audience. There are some good artists out there, but for commercial movies, there is still a long way to go!

A nightmare... of a movie

[volko · 1/10 · 21 November 2005]

Being the only movie I was able to see at this year's "Nordische Filmtage" at Lübeck, this year's festival will be remembered as a all-time low for me.

This movie, which was announced as an erotic thriller, is nothing more than a sick piece of crap! Excuse the language, but there aren't any decent words to describe it.

First of all, the actors are not the best. But even better actors would not have rescued the movie. E.g. the plot: after the first 15 minutes it was quite clear that John was sick, the neighbour girls were not real and that he killed his first girlfriend. The so called "sex-scene" was nothing else but disgusting (hitting each other until blood flows for me hasn't anything to do with sexuality), but unfortunately that were not the only disgusting images to be shown. Everything else was copied by other directors like e.g. Lynch, but of course without their geniality.

So, to summarize the whole film and to save other viewers time and money: guy loses girlfriend, girlfriend turns back home, guy kills girlfriend and becomes mad afterwards, guy imagines hot, but crazy neighbour girls, guy has very disgusting sex with one of them (or so he thinks), in the end he realizes, he is crazy and his girlfriend and her new lover lay in his apartment all the time... bad story, bad actors, pictures, that make you want to vomit...

1 out of 10 (1 point for the fact, that you realize how good you can understand Norwegian if you learned Swedish - at least one benefit of the evening - and you can't choose 0 points here).