The Neighbor (I) (2007) User Reviews (8)

Standard "romantic" comedy, with an interesting twist!

[bobm5508 · 5/10 · 7 July 2009]

This is on a par with 100's of made for TV, or straight to video romantic comedies. Usually the couple "meets cute", has a whirlwind romance, encounters a misunderstanding that causes a break-up and then thru some plot manipulation --- all's well that ends well. Or, the couple begins as advisaries, finds a common ground, fall off the common ground due to a misunderstanding, then.......live happily ever after. This formula has worked or failed lots of time. The good ones have likable leads, quality supporting players, witty scripts and tight direction.

Here we have scenerio #2. Everything happens as advertised, by here's the little twist. The leads are played by an aging Matthew Modine, about 50 these days, and a French import, making her English language debut, who's also almost 50 (according to IMDb). They look like they would or should be attracted to each other. They handle the rather blandly written script pretty well. As written, they should both be unlikable dolts, and the actors made them worth watching. The supporting cast is given nothing much to do (Richard Kind in a 3 minute, non-funny cameo????), the dialog and plot points not especially witty, but they get us from point A to the end. Again, the age appropriate actors, who are aging nicely by the way, showed some spark, and made it an OK hour and a half on Showtime. Just don't set your expectations real high.

Good for a rainy afternoon.

[davidshort10 · 6/10 · 17 May 2008]

I would quite like to rate this higher but I can't, only because it has TV rather than cinematic qualities. I just watched it 'this rainy afternoon' (partly because I don't much like soccer/football and this afternoon was the Cup Final, and partly because it is a great way of admitting you watched a movie in the afternoon, even though it was Saturday - Joan Collins used the seem excuse in the current issue of the UK magazine The Spectator. A 'rainy afternoon'. She was watching it (Only the Good Die Young) the same 'rainy afternoon' I was.

This is almost like a different version of Green Card, but the French person is the girl not the guy. I love romantic comedies about how the right man and the right girl woman get together. If you do too, then watch this at home and keep the Kleenex handy if you're the kind of man that weeps at sentimentality.

And that's not a spoiler because it's obvious what's going to happen.

But to use a Frenchwoman as the model for a career-driven person who doesn't understand the value of family until she gets a pedicure from the guy's teenage daughter doesn't make sense.

A very bland movie, fails at the romance.

[vampypiano · 1/10 · 21 August 2008]

Well. This is a not well-known movie, and initially, i was surprised at the low rating it got at IMDb. But then I still went ahead to watch, and i was wrong. The movie is interesting only to the first half, then it begins unleashing the crappiest elements of a romantic comedy.

First, there is a sense of realism and the movie attempted to shape the characters of the two main leads. We can see, from their never ending arguments to the lifestyle that they have, how different the two are main leads are. Both of them have major flaws with their characters, but nevertheless, remains quite likable. Then, comes the climax of the movie. They fall in love with each other. How? In what way? There is no plot line, no events that will lead them to even change their views of each other at this point of time(half the movie gone)and seriously, there are such little chemistry or sexual tension between the two leads that I for one, even though knowing that this is to come, still can't quite imagine them falling for each other. And before long my doubts are cleared, they are brought/forced together in a very unconvincing and awkward way. There must be divine intervention really for the two of them, with their characters to behave like they did. From then on, it's all very rushed and the characters of the main leads seem to change overnight(especially for the female lead). Why shape their characters up if you're going to ruin it so completely later on? For romance? A very awkward and forced one? NOTHING is convincing.

This is a terrible movie. Even if you've got a couple of hours free with nothing to do, don't watch it.

Easy going, comical romance

[craigcameron · 7/10 · 11 May 2008]

In the mold of the traditional 'Pride and Prejudice' romance. This adds a little extra character depth and a number of excellently crafted comical moments all wrapped around a fairly simple plot of ice lady meets lost, passionate artistic man. Entertaining and real. Nothing new, just nice to smile through an hour or so of your life. Matthew Modine takes on the role of the forlorn architect desperate to show he can disprove his ex wife's opinion of him as the eternal dreamer. He plays the comic moments very well with his easy smile. Michèle Laroque in the first English speaking role of hers I have witnessed takes the aloof ice maiden model and gives it a light comical edge from the first to the last as she is slowly warmed....

Lame, Oh so Lame

[jadams414 · 1/10 · 24 May 2009]

I have given myself a day to calm down before 'voicing' my critique of this shoddy film. What happened to the terrific Matthew Modine? So much of it needed editing. The contrived situations, the change in mood, the ridiculous outcome . . . why? Could have been a fairly decent film, if only someone with brains would have stepped in and watched the dailies. Pitiful. Example: if someone is a teetotaler, they have ways to refuse taking a drink. Chug-a-lugging wine, just to bolster ones nerve, is extremely juvenile, and not in character for our leading lady. Why resort to gym shoes, when dancing barefoot has been the norm for hundreds of years. (Not that the wedding was even formal, which is another atrocity). Nothing jived. Scrambled nonsense. Only satisfying moment was when her selfish fiancée exited her life.

Waiting waiting waiting

[SnoopyDogswithChliandSlaw · 3/10 · 26 May 2019]

For these people to stop fighting. Such a negative movie, it took forever for the people to become real. And then - what, two minutes of happiness ? The writer must live a sad life if he / she thinks people enjoy this type of confilct. There were a few funny parts but they were few and far between. I am sure this portrays what goes on in life, but who wants to spend their leisure time watching lives like this. No wonder there were only 61 reviews. I am sorry I wasted the time. Wanna watch a real movie on couples in conflict ? Try this on for size: The Ultimate Gift

This movie is great!

[rroddi · 10/10 · 30 November 2008]

I have been watching new movies all summer and just happened to read the box on this new arrival to the video store and thought the plot sounded funny. After watching it I was more than pleased. I could watch it over and over. Perhaps the people who posted a comment before me need to be soon fed a plot to be able to understand a movie. When the 2 main characters kiss it is obvious that even though they have been fighting with each other for however long, that they have technically formed a friendship and he is so depressed (obvious from the beginning) and she is completely unsatisfied with her current relationship (obvious from every scene with the fiancée and lunches with friend)...well... I think the movie is completely believable and I wish it didn't have to end.

I am going to be adding this movie to my collection.

Cute

[tect-03564 · 8/10 · 3 February 2020]

Cute end entertaining. I enjoyed everyone's performances.