The Girl Next Door (2004 film)

The Girl Next Door is a 2004 American romantic comedy film about a high school senior who falls in love for the first time with the girl next door, but finds the situation becoming complicated after he learns that she is a former pornographic actress. It stars Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert, Timothy Olyphant, James Remar, Chris Marquette and Paul Dano and is directed by Luke Greenfield. Despite mixed reviews and low theatrical attendance at the time it has gained the status of a cult classic over the years.

Plot
Ambitious high school senior Matthew Kidman 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 Danielle 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 a porno 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 porno industry. Matthew tracks Danielle down at a porno film convention in Las Vegas where Kelly, a porn producer and Danielle's ex, menacingly warns Matthew not to interfere with his business. Matthew ignores him, convincing Danielle to leave the adult industry and 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, 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.

Cast

 * Emile Hirsch as Matthew Kidman
 * Elisha Cuthbert as Danielle
 * Timothy Olyphant as Kelly
 * James Remar as Hugo Posh
 * Chris Marquette as Eli
 * Paul Dano as Klitz
 * Olivia Wilde as Kellie
 * Sunny Leone as cameo appearance
 * Amanda Swisten as April
 * Sung Hi Lee as Ferrari
 * Timothy Bottoms as Mr. Kidman
 * Donna Bullock as Mrs. Kidman
 * Jacob Young as Hunter
 * Matt Wiese as Mule

Critical response
The Girl Next Door received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 56% approval rating based on reviews from 159 reviews, with an average score of 5.53/10. The site's consensus reads: "The movie borrows heavily from Risky Business, though Hirsch and Cuthbert are appealing leads." At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 47 based on 32 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Roger Ebert described it as a "nasty piece of business", and faulted movie studios for marketing the film as a comedy.

Box office
The film grossed $14,589,444 in the USA, plus $15,821,739 outside the USA, for a combined gross of $30,411,183.

Soundtrack listing

 * "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" by The Darkness
 * "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie—Opening scene
 * "Angeles" by Elliott Smith
 * "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen—Matthew first sees Danielle
 * "Jump into the Fire" by Harry Nilsson
 * "Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman—Matthew and Danielle in cafe
 * "The Field" by Christopher Tyng
 * "Take a Picture" by Filter—Matthew with Danielle after skipping class
 * "Slayed" by Overseer—Matthew and Danielle entering the party
 * "No Retreat" by Dilated Peoples
 * "This Year's Love" by David Gray—Matthew and Danielle kiss at party
 * "If It Feels Good Do It" by Sloan
 * "Electric Lady Land" by Fantastic Plastic Machine
 * "Bendy karate" by Phreak E.D.
 * "Dick Dagger's Theme" by PornoSonic
 * "Suffering" by Satchel
 * "Break Down the Walls" by Youth of Today—Matthew sees Kelly in Danielle's house
 * "Dopes to Infinity" by Monster Magnet—Inside the strip club
 * "Spin Spin Sugar (Radio Edit)" by Sneaker Pimps
 * "Big Muff" by Pepe Deluxé
 * "Song for a Blue Guitar" by Red House Painters
 * "Twilight Zone" by 2 Unlimited—Heading to Vegas
 * "Get Naked" by Methods of Mayhem—Inside AVN convention
 * "Mondo '77" by Looper—Matthew sees Athena (Danielle)
 * "Think Twice" by Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
 * "This Beat is Hot" by B.G. The Prince of Rap
 * "Turn of the Century" by Pete Yorn
 * "Stay in School" by Richard Patrick
 * "Funk #49" by James Gang
 * "Lady Marmalade" by Patti LaBelle—Matthew dancing at scholarship dinner
 * "Christmas Song" by Mogwai
 * "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd—Kelly driving away with the $25,000
 * "Arrival" by Mark Kozelek
 * "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye
 * "Counterfeit" by Limp Bizkit (not credited)
 * "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters—Danielle open the door before the cameras
 * "Purple Haze" by Groove Armada
 * "Lapdance" by N.E.R.D.—Entering the cafeteria on prom night
 * "Everytime I Think of You (I Get High)" by Phreak E.D.
 * "Lucky Man" by The Verve—Matthew and Danielle dancing in prom night
 * "Sparrows Over Birmingham" by Josh Rouse—Matthew seeing lipstick mark and thinking about Danielle
 * "Atlantis" by Donovan—completing the shooting and leaving cafeteria on prom night
 * "This Year's Love" by David Gray—Matthew and Danielle making love in limo
 * "Baba O' Riley" by The Who—Ending scenes
 * "Maybe You're Gone" by Binocular—Credits
 * "One Fine Day" by Alastair Binks—Credits