There's a possibility I'll feel differently upon second viewing, but for now...
It's a weird one. On one hand, I appreciate the off-beat approach this movie takes. It feels very disjointed and odd throughout, which would be a bad thing in any other case, but I like the unfocused vibe the movie gives off. On the other hand, however, it's a real shame that the movie fails to make any kind of profound commentary on this kind of violence, and also, go even deeper into this woman's psyche, spend more time with her at the beginning of the film and not only lightly touch on what's torturing her so much, but make us feel it as well, no matter how nasty that may be (this would add another 10 minutes to the film, which I think it would benefit from).
Viola crushes it in this movie. She really is one of the most talented actors working today, and it's wonderful seeing her in any movie that gives her room to show off her chops. She's simply incredible.
That being said, I think the far trickier role falls on Jennifer's shoulders. She doesn't only have to play a figment of somebody's imagination, but has to make that character her own, give her depth, and also play it relatively vague so it wouldn't be over the top and obnoxious. She knocks it out of her park. This is honestly the best work she's done since El Cantante, and I think it actually tops her performance in that, because chewing up the scenery is a much easier task to accomplish than being quietly determined, but also going completely balistic when the opportunity shows itself. (Look out for the subtle mannerisms she adopted from Viola)
Couple things I appreciated about The Boy Next Door was how good it looked and sounded, despite being made on a shoestring budget. You'll get none of that here. The cinematography is at times pretty good, and the score sometimes goes from perfunctory to experimental, but other than that, there's not much here to be amazed by. This is a $5 million budget movie that looks and sounds like a $5 million budget movie. Visually there's nothing here you won't get in a Lifetime Original Movie, but what a Lifetime Original Movie doesn't have is two incredibly talented actors fully commited to the roles they're playing.
In conclusion, I'm glad Jennifer did this film. It's not a major addition to her filmography (Viola's either) It's a great performance, opposite a great actress in a film that doesn't quite deserve these two talented actors. This is a movie that definitely won't do Jennifer's film career any damage, but she won't benefit from it, either, unless some big shot director sees it and says 'Hey, I totally forgot Jennifer Lopez is a genuinely great actress. I am going to cast her in my next film' (I'm looking at you, Christopher Nolan & Steven Spielberg).
BTW, keep an eye out for breathing corpses. It's ridiculous.
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The Cell 5/5
Out of Sight 5/5
El Cantante 4/5
An Unfinished Life 4/5
U-Turn 3.5/5
Shall We Dance 3.5/5
Parker 3.5/5
Lila & Eve 3.5/5
Money Train 3/5
Jersey Girl 3/5
My Family 3/5
Selena 3/5
Antz 3/5
Maid in Manhattan 3/5
The Boy Next Door 3/5
Blood & Wine 2.5/5
Bordertown 2.5/5
Home 2.5/5
Monster In Law 2.5/5
Gigli 2.5/5
Jack 2/5
Angel Eyes 2/5
Anaconda 2/5
The Wedding Planner 2/5
Ice Age 2/5
What To Expect When You're Expecting 1.5/5
Enough 1/5
The Back-up Plan 0.5/5