good back-story, and good acting

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Blistering performances.

I wanted to see this movie bad. I read the book a few times, and the movie did NOT do it justice. If you are familiar with the story of Sylvia Likens, then you know they left out how they used to bathe Sylvia in scalding water. Where was Paula and Marie? Paula inflicted a lot of pain on Sylvia, which was not depicted in the film.Why did they change the names? It's supposed to be based on a true story, but very loosely based to say the least.

I was surprised. It's an unheralded movie that is powerful, moving and disturbing at the same time. It's well written, the dialog is good and it's decently acted as well. You won't be disappointed, but it is a movie that will agitate your emotions. It's not a violent slasher- type flick, and it doesn't offer blood and guts. It will grip you and upset you. All based on a true story. Watch if you can sit through it.

I hadn't heard of 'The Girl Next Door' until a few months ago, but i feel a bit misled, both by it's cover and by some of the reviews I've read. 'The Girl Next Door' is not a horror movie, but instead, a drama that includes some very sadistic moments of torture-porn.The movie, which is based on a Jack Ketchum novel, which is based on a real life case that took place in the 60's, tells the story of the horrible abuse suffered by a young girl at the hand of her aunt and her cousins, who lock her up in the basement where they physically and sexually abuse her. It's also a story of one of the boys who befriended the girl, but is unable to stop her abuse, and how that regret stick with him.I imagine that this is the kind of movie that people feel strongly about, regardless of whether they like it or hate it. My issue with the movie was that it just seemed kind of pointless and exploitative, under a veneer of integrity that doesn't actually lack. I agree that stories like these have to be told, but The Girl Next Door lacked taste IMO, which might seem odd coming from someone who thinks 'Martyrs' is one of the greatest modern horror films in the past decade. IDK, that's just me though.

I watched this movie, not knowing what I was going to expect. I'm giving a bad review for the obvious reason: because the story is extremely horrible and sad! NO ONE should EVER abuse anyone!! Watching this movie gave me the worst pain in my stomach because the abuse, physical, mental, and sexual, almost made me sick so bad!! I'm surprised I finished this movie because the abuse starts right out of the gate of the movie because I was hoping Meg would survive at the end of the movie. I'm not incredibly sure, but I think that this story is based on the real life of Sylvia Likens, a 16 year old girl who was abused, starved, and murdered around 1965. The good thing that came out of this story is that her sister, Jenny, survived the horrors of the aunt, or whatever she was. I would love to kill the woman, as well as the kids who beat up Sylvia because that is one of the worst and horrible stories that ever happened! From what I know, the mom of the boys who murdered Sylvia died back in 1990 and THANK GOD SHE'S DEAD!!!! She needed to die for what god-less acts she's committed, as well as her children!!! Only one of her boys, who was released from prison a bit ago, ACTUALLY confessed that what he did was horrible and admits that he was wrong and feels bad for the horrible crime he committed. Whatever happened to those kids, I think almost all of them went to prison from 2-21 years so, that eases the anger and sadness for Sylvia's death. Back to the point of the movie: This movie is incredibly sad, heart-breaking, and stomach-churning that I would advise to never watch but, if anyone can handle the sexual and physical abuse, as well as Meg dying, then good but, I would NEVER watch it again!It was too upsetting and stomach- churning to watch and had me sleeping with every pillow in my bed and put on sleep music to help me sleep that night because it was too scarring and disturbing for me to sleep and I didn't sleep for more then 4 hours and then took a nap later on the next day. To sum it all up: DON'T WATCH the movie, because it's too sad and has some nudity, as well as disturbing actions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse that NOBODY needs to see. Take it from me: don't be scarred to bad to sleep!!