The Neighbor (2007/First Look Studios DVD)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C-
Mathew Modine is still popular enough, thanks in part to Full Metal Jacket and an enduring career, but he
also has found himself in occurrent romantic roles going back to Vision Quest and since he has hardly
aged since he arrived on the film scene a few decades ago, is more popular with
women than one mighty consider. That is
the only thing that can explain Eddie O’Flaherty’s The Neighbor (2007)
as he stars opposite pretty Michèle Laroque, playing neighbors in a building
who do not get along.
Of
course, they will find themselves eventually liking each other, but this takes
most of the 98 minutes to get there and never works as a comedy or romance,
despite potential chemistry between the leads.
Too bad, because with more work and less cliché, this could have been
something. Instead, it belongs on
networks like Lifetime or Romance (or the like) because it is that dull and
thin. We’ll give the DVD an eviction.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 x 1 image is soft and looks like an HD shoot with
its limited color and motion blur, while the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is
uninspired, built on the dialogue and towards the front of the screen. There are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
