The Girl Next Door Information

The Girl Next Door is a 2004 American teen film starring Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert, and Timothy Olyphant, directed by Luke Greenfield, about an honor student 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 porn star.

Plot

Ambitious high school senior Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) 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 luck changes when beautiful Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) moves in next door. The two immediately fall for one another, but Matthew's world is rocked when his friend Eli informs him that Danielle is an adult 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 adult industry. Matthew tracks Danielle down an adult film convention in Las Vegas where Kelly (Timothy Olyphant), a porn producer and Danielle's ex, menacingly warns Matthew not to interfere with his business. Matthew ignores him, convincing Danielle both to leave the adult industry and to begin their relationship anew.

Days later, 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. Matthew goes downstairs 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, knowing 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 Clark / "Athena"
• Timothy Olyphant as Kelly Simon
• James Remar as Hugo Posh
• Chris Marquette as Eli Brooks
• Paul Dano as Klitz
• Timothy Bottoms as Mr. Ben Kidman
• Donna Bullock as Mrs. Marci Kidman
• Jacob Young as Hunter
• Amanda Swisten as April
• Sung-Hi Lee as Ferrari
• Ulysses Lee as Samnang Sok
• Harris Laskaway as Mr Salinger
• Olivia Wilde as Kellie
• Autumn Reeser as Jane
• Julie Osburn as Jeannie
• Richard Fancy as Mr. Peterson

Reception

The film opened on 2,148 screens and grossed $6 million during its opening weekend. It took in a $30.4 million worldwide total.

Critical reaction

The movie received generally mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes ranking it with 55% positive reviews. Criticism came especially from conservative film critic Michael Medved, for its stereotypically glamorous portrayal of porn stars, particularly female porn stars. Roger Ebert described it as a "nasty piece of business", and faulted movie studios for marketing the film as a teen comedy. Review aggregation website Metacritic gives a rating of 47 out of 100 based on reviews from 32 critics, and a score of 7.5 out of 10 based upon 26 user reviews which indicates "generally favorable" reviews.

Awards

The film was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards including Best Kiss and Breakthrough Female performance for Elisha Cuthbert. It was also nominated for a Golden Satellite Award for Best DVD Extra "?mainly for the commentary, as well as a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Your Parents Didn't Want You to See.

Soundtrack listing

• "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