The premise is interesting but the script fumbles a golden opportunity to ratchet up the suspense by tipping its hand too early.
It’s not unusual these days to hear of someone doing something really stupid for the sake of Internet fame. Whether it be a person hurting themselves while trying to make the next viral video, a person falling off a cliff while taking a selfie, or a prank gone horribly wrong, stories of Internet-inspired negligence are fairly common.
The Good Neighbor, a 2016 film written by Mark Bianculli and Jeff Richard and directed by Kasra Farahani, tells the story of two high-school boys, Ethan (Logan Miller) and Sean (Keir Gilchrist), who decide to play a prank on a neighbor while recording it for Internet posterity. Their prank involves Harold Grainey (James Caan,) an old man who lives across the street from Ethan.
While Grainey is out grocery shopping, they enter his unlocked house and install a variety of cameras, microphones, and other electronic devices. Using their high-tech wares, they try to convince Grainey that his house is haunted. They call their plan a “behavioral experiment.”
From the security of Ethan’s bedroom, the boys try to torment Grainey by slamming doors, turning on lights, and blasting music in the middle of the night all while watching and recording his every reaction on the cameras they’ve installed in the house. The only problem is that Grainey doesn’t react as they expect. He never calls the police or reports the incidents to anyone. So, the boys are convinced that Grainey is hiding something. So, they try to up the ante by entering the one area of the house that they can’t see on their cameras: Grainey’s locked basement.
The boys’ motivation is, of course, the viral viewership that can make millionaires out of ordinary people like them. The problem is that, rather than recording a cute pet or themselves laughing hysterically while wearing Chewbacca masks, these boys are actively committing a crime by invading Grainey’s privacy. The script fights an uphill battle trying to convince the audience that we should care what happens to a pair of smug, voyeuristic jerks aiming to profit from a cowardly act. (And I won’t even mention the plot holes created by their actions.)
The premise is interesting but the script fumbles a golden opportunity to ratchet up the suspense by tipping its hand too early. About 20 minutes into the film, we’re made aware that the events will eventually lead to a court room.
Even with those obstacles in the way, The Good Neighbor does manage to keep your attention until the end. Thanks to a fine performance from James Caan and artful direction from Kasra Farahani, the end is worth the wait. I just wish the overall film was more enjoyable and not as frustrating an experience.
3.0 out of 5.0 stars
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