Parents' Guide to

The Boy Next Door

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Rotten thriller about sex, violence, and obsession.

Movie R 2015 91 minutes
The Boy Next Door Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Irinia V.
Irinia V. Adult
March 6, 2023
age 18+

Not a good movie #very disgusted by it

The movie and the story was really bad/ horribly represented/promoted. The sex in the movies did not look realistic at all , it was pretty obvious that it was technical and simulated (the orgasms were obviously fake as well). It shows an unrealistic portrayal of teachers relationship with high school students (like this was just Over the Top and highly dramatic/ disgusting). I felt disgusted by the characters and the disgusting sex scene. Noah's obsession was not sexy (it was creepy/dominant) but in fact it was objectifying Claire sexually. He emotionally manipulated her and took advantage of her emotions/desire for his own satisfaction. This is another version of Fifty Shades of Grey sequel. For the Anything else to add- I would say Too much Bulls*it and Too Much Disgustingly Unrealistic.
d.fotheringham
d.fotheringham Adult
March 21, 2020
age 17+

Really bad

Too dirty and a pointless story. Acting lacklustre and the characters I don't care for at all. Oh and be warned the sex scene is really long but right at the start and makes you cringe.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

High school teacher literature teacher Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez) has been raising her teenage son, Kevin (Ian Nelson), on her own since her husband (John Corbett) left her for a younger woman. Then a hunky young neighbor, Noah (Ryan Guzman), who says he's "almost 20," moves in next door to take care of his uncle. One night, Noah seduces the sexy, lonely Claire, even though she knows it's wrong. Afterward, Noah becomes obsessed with her. First he threatens her reputation and her job, and before long he starts manipulating her family. But when Claire's husband makes an attempt to reconcile with her, Noah begins to show homicidal tendencies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (10):

Director Rob Cohen has made some terrible films, and this one is no exception. Not one thing about THE BOY NEXT DOOR is even remotely credible, much less suspenseful. Characters never once behave as a human being might behave in a similar situation; they're each written and directed to move the plot. A character can turn from respectful and loving to hateful and accusing just because the plot calls for it, not because it feels like an organic, emotional change.

As a result, the movie feels like it's filled with awful performances, not least of which is Guzman (from the Step Up movies). Lopez comes out the best, which isn't saying much. Mainly she's posed wearing flattering outfits and flaunting soft hair. The "deceptively charming neighbor" plot is used quite often in thrillers; a movie like The Guest shows how it can work, but THE BOY NEXT DOOR is one of the worst examples (only slightly better than No Good Deed).

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Boy Next Door's violence. How much of it is directed at women? What attitude does the movie have toward women? Is the violence meant to be thrilling?

  • How much sex is shown? How is it shown? Is it meant to be titillating, or does it have an emotional impact?

  • How are bullies shown and treated in this movie? What are other ways to deal with bullies?

  • What does this movie have to say about male and female body image?

Movie Details

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