Next Door

This Nordic horror thriller is a must-see if only for the utter whatthefuckery of the first half hour. The outcome is something we’ve seen lots of times, but it doesn’t matter, it’s still a very impressive, bold and perverted film that’s worth its 70 minutes. (03/06/2012)

Next Door is the case of a film that is incredibly impressive and pleasing to the audience, even though its budget probably wouldn't cover the fee of a single lower-category American star. This psychological horror manages with only six actors and takes place in the backdrop of a neglected apartment and the adjacent corridors of a shabby apartment building. It does not require any flashy and expensive special effects, and the director only needs a quality script and classic filmmaking techniques such as editing, flashbacks, and well-chosen music to create a feeling of tension. The unfriendly environment of a suburban apartment building and the interior of the apartment play a role in creating the atmosphere, evoking a sense of constraint and emptiness. The rooms are often dimly lit and at first glance, the absence of love and positive human emotions is visible. The film is a counterbalance to films like Secretary, which attempted to present sexual deviations with irony and humorous exaggeration, whereas Next Door explores the darker psychopathic side of sexual deviations. It is a short, 70-minute film, but it is packed with emotions and not a single minute is unnecessary. It's an unknown film gem that would probably be a box office hit with an American studio behind it and with adequate advertising. Overall impression: 90%. (26/12/2008)

This film starts out as an original, engaging and perversely exciting thriller, but later it turns into a hallucinogenic trip into the mind of the main character. Finally, it becomes a not exactly original psychological drama about a Finnish Norman Bates. Though very well made and acted, however, it slipped away from me with exactly those twists it employed to surprise and shock me. (05/02/2009)