The Boy Next Door *½ (out of 5) (R) Jennifer Lopez looks terrific - even better for one who has reached 45 - and really hot in her sex scene. Alas, thus ends any kind words I can offer about this by-the-numbers attempt at a psychological thriller. She’s a single mom to a nerdy teenager, teaching high school English, and vacillating for months about whether to forgive her cheating hubby (John Corbett) and let him move back in for another try. A 20-year-old hunk (Ryan Guzman) moves in next door to care for his sick uncle. He seems perfect - helpful to her son and everyone else, sharing her love of the classics. For some reason, he is about to enrol in her school as an overaged senior, since his graduation elsewhere was derailed by vaguely explained circumstances.
In a moment of weakness on the eve of the new school year, J-Lo succumbs to his advances, beginning a completely unbelievable descent into his psychotic obsession with her, menacing everyone in sight. Bad things happen, and even more are proffered, with few surprises for anyone who has seen any of these turgid offerings before. This isn’t even new territory for J-Lo, who starred in a similar damsel & stalker flick, Enough, thirteen years ago. This turkey gives that title an extra, ironic meaning.
If only Guzman’s character had taken the GED, everyone on both sides of the screen would have been spared this ordeal. (1/23/15)
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