Based on the Jack Ketchum novel of the same name, The Girl Next Door follows the unspeakable torture and abuses committed on a teenage girl in the care of her aunt...and the boys who witness and fail to report the crime. The Girl Next Door is loosely based on the real life crime that happened in 1965 where this telling is set in 1958. Things have been changed around in this film compare to the actual court transcripts from the case but that doesn't make this film any less disturbing. Set in 1958,the story is about to young sisters,Meg and Susan Loughlin who after the death of their parents in a car accident are given to their Aunt to care for them. The problem is their Aunt is not the woman most think think she is, in fact she is a woman that has lost her sanity and the girls are about to learn first hand. Forget about movies like "Saw","Hostel" or even "Captivity" because none of those pack the disturbing punch that this film does. Blanche Baker has never been better as the ruthless Aunt, her innocent yet evil side blend perfectly together making her character that much more creepy. The child actors are all fantastic, mainly Blythe Auffarth as Meg who has to endure the abuse and torture at the hands of Ruth's foster children as Ruth herself encourages them on. Meg only true friend is the boy next door David who feels sorry for Meg but is feels too helpless and afraid to do much about it. This was one of the hardest film's I ever had to watch, the last 15 minutes are heart wrenching and disturbing beyond anything I have ever seen. Director Gregory Wilson deserves a lot of credit for taking on a project that most didn't want to tackle because of it's harsh subject matter. Also Writers Daniel Farrands and Philip Nutman did a fantastic job creating this screenplay from Jack Ketchum's novel. What is so great about cinema is once in awhile you see a film that truly changes and touches you either in a good or bad way and this is one of those films. If you have a weak stomach to torture and abuse of young children I highly recommend you avoid this but if not then I recommend you picking this great piece of cinema up. Sure this is a sick and disturbing film but a very effective one that just might touch you as much as it did me. The DVD comes packed with bonus features that include:

Audio Commentary with Director Gregory Wilson, Producer Andrew van den Houten and Cinematographer/Co-Producer William M. Miller

Audio Commentary with Novelist Jack Ketchum and Screenwriters Daniel Farrands and Philip Nutman

Interviews With Cast & Crew

Released by Anchor Bay Home Entertainment. ***** Out Of *****