AFI FEST Report: Next Door (Naboer) Review

AFI FEST ended its run days ago, but, try as I might, I cannot offload some of these movies from my memory until I write about them. Here's the first of several titles that may be appearing at a festival or DVD retailer near you.

A one-twist Norwegian thriller, NEXT DOOR is charged with brooding sexual electricity.

John (Kristoffer Joner) has just broken up with his girlfriend, Ingrid (Anna Bache-Wiig). She returns to their apartment to collect a few things, with her new boyfriend waiting in the street below. John is none too happy about this turn of events, and an argument breaks out before Ingrid escapes his anger.

Still upset, he's teasingly invited next door by one of his new neighbors to help move a large cabinet. He's puzzled when she wants it moved so it will block entrance to the front door. Nonetheless, he does what he's asked, and his fate is sealed.

His new neighbors are sisters Anne (Cecile A. Mosli) and Kim (Julia Schacht). They're both attractive, but both act in ways that make John uncomfortable: Anne is pushy and overly familiar, as though she's known him for a long time, and Kim is overtly sexual, to a point way beyond adolescent fantasy. Sensing danger, John tries to leave, but Anne convinces him to stay with Kim while she goes out for a bit. It seems that Kim was attacked by the previous occupant of John's apartment and held prisoner; she's refused to leave her apartment ever since. John reluctantly agrees to stay, and events quickly and violently spiral out of control.

NEXT DOOR plays like an anxiety nightmare for thirtysomething males afraid of ferocious females. John appears to be a nice guy driven to animalistic extremes by the base desires of the women. Writer/director Pal Sletaune propels the plot forward at a feverish pace, daring you to guess the outcome. Of course, genre fans will have it figured out quite early, but NEXT DOOR doesn't make the mistake of overstaying its welcome, or adding needless twist after twist. At 75 minutes, it's a speedy exercise in "get in, twist the knife, and get out" filmmaking.

Simon Boswell's excitable score serves the film well without being particularly memorable, and John Andreas Andersen captures a seedy, green-tinged look to the proceedings. The abundance of Steadicam shots are perhaps intentionally reminiscent of THE SHINING.

While the performances are fine, the biggest star of the movie might well be Anne and Kim's gigantic apartment. Even as John struggles to escape its endless, Moebius strip-like hallways and rooms, I was dreaming of moving to Norway and finding one just like it.

NEXT DOOR opened theatrically in Norway in March 2005, finishing #2 at the box office that week (behind HITCH) and remaining popular for several weeks thereafter. AFI FEST hosted the US Premiere of the film.

Web Site

Trailer (Quicktime)