The Boy Next Door YTS [BEST]
RELEASED TO TV IN 1976 and directed by Randal Kleiser, "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" is a youth drama inspired by the true-life stories of David Vetter and Ted DeVita, both of whom lacked effective immune systems. John Travolta plays Tod Lubitch, a teen born with immune deficiencies in Southern Cal while Glynnis O'Connor is the girl next door with whom he slowly develops a relationship and inspires him to crave freedom from his germ-free 'prison.' Robert Reed & Diana Hyland are on hand as his parents.The opening act is relatively dull, but it's necessary because it establishes Tod's situation. Thankfully, the story perks up with the star power of Travolta and O'Connor. The former was 21 during shooting and is quite good as the protagonist while O'Connor is winsome as ever. She was almost 20 during filming and has a bikini sequence for those interested.At its heart, this is a coming-of-age movie but with a unique twist (the bubble boy). There are several well-done high school sequences, like the football field scene where the kids sneak away to smoke pot. Unrealistic? Not at all.The best part is the ending where we share in Tod's joy and sense of wonder at the most simplest things that normal people take for granted. I can relate because when I was his age I fell off a cliff and ended up in traction and a body cast for four months. While in the cast, I was laid-up at home on a lake, just like in the movie. When the cast was removed I walked with crutches to the woods & lake with sheer delight.The real-life bubble boys David Vetter and Ted DeVita were still alive when the movie was released. The former died in 1984 at the age of 12 & a half while the latter died in 1980 at the age of 18.THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 36 minutes and was shot in Malibu Lake and Century City, California. WRITERS: Douglas Day Stewart and Joe Morgenstern.GRADE: B
The Boy Next Door YTS
"The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" was a made for TV movie which gave John Travolta a chance to do something beyond his lunk-head character on "Welcome Back Kotter"...and just before he shot to super-stardom with "Saturday Night Fever". He plays a young man who was born without an immune system and the show details his difficulties dealing with having a plastic wall always between himself and the outside world. The problem becomes MUCH worse when he falls in love with the girl next door and he realizes he probably will never be able to touch her.The story is based very broadly on a real case. Travolta is decent in the role and the film is a decent family movie, though the ending is a bit bizarre as it leaves you on such a cliffhanger. I liked it as lot as a kid--seen now, it just seems okay. Generally enjoyable and well written but the ending is a letdown...at least for me.
This film is beautiful! The songs are great and the performances are wonderful! The script has a lot of great lines, the funniest coming from Tootie (wonderfully played by Margaret O'Brien). There is one scene at the dinner table, when Rose is making a phone call, and says something, then the grandfather says "Good evening, Joe." Hilarious! The songs are fantastic. I can't remember who wrote them though. The best was "Trolley Song" where you actually see Judy Garland enjoying herself. "Boy next door" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" are beautifully staged, with Garland showing her sensitive side. The costumes are also beautiful, and that's all I have to say really on that subject. Now for the performances. Judy Garland looks beautiful here, and is obviously enjoying herself. The parents are also good, and they even sing a very nostalgic song. The grandfather and John Truitt are very well done also, but the scene-stealer is a really young Margaret O'Brien, who made me laugh and cry at the same time. ("I was drunk last night dear mother", when she hurts herself and blames it on John Truitt, and when she is seen in the snowy garden knocking all the snowmen over because she doesn't want the family to move). It is a little long, but you will love this musical. 10/10. Bethany Cox
The classic literature teacher Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez) lives alone with her teenage son Kevin (Ian Nelson) in a house in the suburb. She is separated from her husband Garrett Peterson (John Corbett) since she has found he had an affair with a coworker in Los Angeles. Garrett wants to have a fresh restart with Claire but she is reluctant and prefers to stay alone. When the handsome nephew of her next door neighbor Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman) loses his parents in a car accident, he moves to the house and befriends Claire and Kevin. Noah seems to be an adorable young man and soon there is a sexual tension between Claire and he and one rainy night they have one night stand. On the next morning, Claire regrets but Noah becomes obsessed for her and shows his real personality. "The Boy Next Door" is an unoriginal standard thriller with a well- known story. The viewer knows the whole predictable story from the beginning in a common screenplay that probably lays on the shelf of studios para every now and then make a movie. The attraction of "The Boy Next Door" is the hot Jennifer Lopez only; otherwise it would be complete garbage. My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "O Garoto da Casa ao Lado" ("The Boy in the Next Door House")
Playing the title role of The Boy Next Door is Ryan Guzman and he's attracted Jennifer Lopez's attention. Jen's looking for attention herself since she tossed out her cheating husband John Corbett and Guzman is quite the hunk. In a moment of weakness she gives in and when she tries to tell him it was all a mistake Guzman goes psychotic on her. He also begins moving in on her life becoming an older mentor to her son Ian Savage. He even enrolls in her high school saying he's a transfer student who missed a couple of years. All lies because Guzman is now fixated on her.Curiously enough a couple of weeks ago I saw the film The Idol which had another Jennifer named Jones in the starring role. I think those who created The Boy Next Door must have seen this film because that is also about a woman separated from her husband who gets seduced by a young man who also befriended her son. It was not one of Jennifer Jones's best films, but it's Citizen Kane next to this one.Anyway, J.Lo is hot and so is Guzman. That might be reason enough to watch The Boy Next Door. Lopez couldn't take her eyes off him.
High school teacher Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez) throws her cheating husband Garrett (John Corbett) out. Their son Kevin (Ian Nelson) isn't happy. Nine months later, Claire is uncertain about a divorce and Garrett is trying to squeeze his way back into the family. Next door neighbor has his orphan nephew Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman) staying with him. Noah becomes Kevin's mentor and his only friend.Everything is wrong. It's way too overwrought and really bad movie-making. Guzman is too old to play a teenager and is too outwardly insane. He nearly kills a guy and only gets expelled. The cops are nowhere in sight. It's too much. The son is almost as badly written. His changes are way too abrupt. This is a bad exploitation movie. I actually think Jennifer Lopez is not the right actress for this role. It would be more compelling if Claire is a more plain looking woman. This movie is full of eye-rolling moments. 041b061a72