Movie Review – Let Me In

Let Me In is a haunting and provocative thriller written and directed by Matt Reeves, who’s best known for directing Cloverfield. The film is based on the best-selling Swedish novel Lat den Ratte Komma In (Let the Right One In) by John Ajvide Lindqvist and the movie of the same name.

The cast includes Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chole Grace Moretz. Everyone will remember Chole Grace Moretz as the 11-year-old break-out star from Kick-Ass where she portrayed the foul-mouthed hero Hit Girl. The role landed her the title of “most likely to succeed ‘it girl’ from Teen Vogue. Here she trades in her mask, wig, weapons and her lovable foul-mouth that we all learned to love and adore for blood, fangs, supernatural ability and the love of puzzle solving.

Moretz plays Abby, a mysterious 12-year-old that is like no one has ever met before or should want to; but if you do, and you get on her bad side or even have the balls to mess with Owen (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) in any way, then it was nice knowing you. Some would say that Moretz stole the scenes in Kick-Ass and I couldn’t agree more. Here she does a good job in sharing the spotlight with her co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Kodi can be found alongside Viggo Mortensen as the son in the big-screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road. In this film Kodi plays Owen a social outcast who is viciously bullied at school and has a fascination with serial killers, but then goes on to form a friendship with his new neighbor Abby. He can’t help but notice that Abby is different and comes to terms that his new friend is not as innocent as she seems.

Unlike the pop-culture phenomenon Twilight, Let Me In stands out as a different kind of vampire movie. It’s a coming-of-age story, as well as a haunting path from a hard and painful childhood into adolescence. Fans of the novel and film Let the Right One In will be happy to know that this film is faithful to much of the action even though the story was transported to a small town in the mountains of New Mexico. Audiences won’t be surprise by the supernatural elements of the story, but by how realistic the emotions were shown by the actors.

With the vampire fantasy put aside people might find something that they can relate to in the movie, such as the honesty of the emotions on display by the two child actors who bring their characters to life. But don’t make the mistake in thinking that is just about vampires, because it’s more then that. It’s about being alienated and what anyone one of us would do and how far anyone of us to go to feel love.

With Owen being the son of a single mom who loves to drink her problems away and herself to sleep, it wasn’t hard to see how and why he acts the way he does or does the things he does. Can you blame the kid? I sure hell don’t, poor little bastard. Owen finds in Abby what he couldn’t in his drunken mom or anyone around him, a friend who he could talk to and someone who would listen to him. As well as someone that could give him advice. So don’t worry mom, this bloodsucking vampire has this covered, so you go back and not be there for your son.

In contrast, the relationship between Abby and the father is a close one, so close, in fact, that he loves her enough to … well, I won’t spoil it here, but he really is a loving father.

Here what didn’t work for me: Nothing! Here’s why: Reeves does such a good job in telling the story that you may even find yourself relating to some of Abby’s and Owen’s experiences that may remind you of your childhood experiences at school and at home.

Unlike these so-called vampire movies with glitter and shit, you know who I’m talking about, (fucking Twilight) I finally saw a movie I could enjoy because it was a vampire film for non-screaming non-girl vampire fans. And what was great was they were able to have the right amount of gruesome scenes and love story without going overboard to ruin the movie.

 So when Let Me In asks you if it can come in, say yes, because this movie will entertain and emotionally affect you.