Julia Schacht in "Naboer" [Norway, Sweden, Denmark 2005]

My first post from a Norwegian film had to be something unusual. And different this certainly is - Pål Sletaune's psychological thriller "Naboer" [Eng. Title: Next Door] chooses the well trodden subject of psychological trauma, but shows this from a totally unique perspective.

John hasn't yet fully come to terms with the end of his relationship with Ingrid, his girlfriend of many years, and who left him for another guy. One day when he returns from work, Anne, a neighbour, asks him for help in moving some things around in her flat. Anne also introduces him to her sister, Kim. Anne later begs John to babysit Kim while she goes on some errands, and he agrees. What happens next is both shocking and disturbingly erotic. And things only get worse later on, which I'm not even going to mention here, as that would give away too much of the plot. The sisters are depicted as young and sexually available, but also creepy, bordering on insane - for a reason we will realise as the film progresses.

The film moves swiftly, and not for a moment will one find it dragging - Sletaune will have us transfixed to what's happening on the screen throughout, and the acting in particular by the protagonist is riveting. But I think for the kind of story and screenplay, the depiction of the scenes should have been bolder, which would have been the case had it been a Spanish or Italian film. Even so, this is a very good film, and therefore, Recommended Viewing.




Julia Schacht, as Kim:
I've restricted this compilation to just one scene even if there are a couple of more instances of nudity. But the scene below is intact without edits so one can see the build-up to what happens here. This was compiled from my DVD.



Scene Guide:
Kim crudely seduces John by first asking him to sit in front of her with her legs spread. She asks him if men get turned on by a woman who'd just had sex. When he answers in the negative, she disagrees, and goes on to narrate an episode where three men have sex with her simultaneously, while mimicking their actions. She later admits that didn't happen, and it was just something she read somewhere. They start kissing, but all of a sudden Kim slaps and lands a punch on John's face. She repeats these actions, and after failing to restrain her, John punches back, and they go back to what they were doing. But the blows keep coming in between their lovemaking, which get bloodier and vicious by the minute. This is one freaky scene, and download at your discretion. Whoever said, "Love hurts"..!



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