Movie Review - Good Neighbors

Good Neighbors (2011)

Starring Emily Hampshire, Scott Speedman, and Jay Baruchel

Directed by Jacob Tierney

***This movie is currently streaming on Netflix***

There's a serial killer loose in Québec and wheelchair-bound Spencer (Scott Speedman) and his neighbor Louise (Emily Hampshire) often spend their nights morbidly discussing the crimes.  When new tenant Victor (Jay Baruchel) moves in to the complex, he immediately feels a connection with Louise and he soon finds himself becoming involved in their conversations much to Spencer's chagrin.  As the dark comedy unfolds, it becomes clear that some people may not be whom they seem to be as hidden secrets are slowly revealed.

Good Neighbors is a pleasant enough watch that works mostly because of a few twists towards the end that I didn't see coming in the slightest.  Admittedly, I was rather alarmed at the beginning of the film because the first "twist" regarding the serial killer was obvious to me from the film's opening moments and if it was supposed to be a surprise, it failed miserably.  However, I'm not quite sure it was supposed to shock because the subsequent turns of the plot proved to be much more interesting and alarming.  Director-screenwriter Jacob Tierney initially makes us think the film is about the serial killer, but instead it's really about the reactions of the public to the fact that there's a killer roaming around the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce section of the Canadian province.

Emily Hampshire's Louise is an oddball who took a little bit of time for this viewer to warm up to, but once I did, I found her quite the amusing character.  A woman in love with her cats more than anything else in the world, her interactions with humans are short, curt, and almost Asperger-like in their awkwardness.  Despite that, Victor seemingly falls for her immediately and Jay Baruchel continues playing the same quirky neurotic that he portrays in everything.  Still, I like the guy and think he's darn good at playing that role.  Scott Speedman is perhaps the weak link of the trio, but that's only because his storyline is the one I found fault with which really isn't a problem of his.  

Good Neighbors isn't perfect, but it's an enjoyable dark comedy that drags a bit, but works for the most part and is worth an Instant Watch on Netflix if you're bored.

The RyMickey Rating:  C+