Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door

Not to be confused with Elisha Cuthbert's "The Girl Next Door", Jack Ketchum's tale is probably one of the most raw, dirty, gut churning tales I have seen in a long time. I actually found myself wanting to stop the movie every five minutes, it was that hard to watch.

This film is set in the 1950's in suburbia. Davy is a young kid brought up in the typical "Leave it to Beaver" household. He meets Meg the gorgeous cousin of his neighbors while out craw fishing in a creek near his house, and there is an instant connection.

Meg and her sister were involved in a car crash that killed their parents. Her aunt and their three cousins were gracious enough to take them in. The sisters were sorely disappointed to find out that their cousins were among the ranks of what you would call hillbillies. Meg's aunt is not what you would call the greatest mother either. She feeds the neighborhood kids beer and talks to them about things like the "hoochie coochie" show she used to watch at the carnivals she went to as a little girl.

As the film progresses Meg confesses to Davy that her aunt isn't letting her eat because she thinks she is fat. Then, on one of Davy's many visits to their house she accuses Meg of being a town whore.

All the boys in town are attracted to Meg, even her cousins, and they invent a "game" to try and make her confess whatever secrets that she has. Meg's aunt likes the idea of this "game" and allows the boys to proceed.

The "game" is in fact not a game at all. They string up Meg down in the basement and hoist her arms above her head with ropes and gag her.

I wont go on because this film proceeds to get more and more disturbing as time passes. You'll just have to watch and see what happens.

Though this film touches on some very disturbing subjects it has the underlying themes of family secrets, and the helplessness of children, and how parents can shut down to the truth their children tell them and ignore the possiblity they are right.

If you can make it through this film you will be so glad that you did. This is one film that hit me hard like "Requiem for a Dream". This is a true horror film.

Trailer: