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.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.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.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
- Donny Chandler
- (as Ben Kaplan)
- Police Officer #2
- (as Gregory Northtrop)
- Susan Loughlin
- (as Maddie Taylor)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film is based on a true case. In 1965, teenage Sylvia Likens was beaten, starved, and taunted by her former neighborhood friends and by her caregiver. While her sister survived, Sylvia died from all the trauma and the case was brought to trial, raising awareness of child abuse and bullying.
- GoofsThe first time David goes down stairs he's wading through hanging laundry. When he goes through the last sets of linen another hand can be seen on the left helping him pull the laundry aside and hold it there, presumably, for the camera.
- Quotes
Adult David: You think you know about pain? Talk to my second wife. When she was 19 she got between a couple of fighting cats, and one of them went at her, climbed her like a tree, tore gashes out of her thighs and breasts and belly that you can still see today. She got 30 stitches and a fever that lasted for days. My second wife says that's pain. She doesn't know shit, that woman.
- ConnectionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Horror Movies Inspired by True Events (2014)
Blythe Auffarth plays teenager Meg Loughlin, survivor of a terrible car crash that claimed the lives of her parents and which left her younger sister Susan (Madeline Taylor) seriously disabled. When the sisters are sent to live with their cousins in the country, they are subjected to mental and physical torture at the hands of their bitter and twisted Aunt Ruth (a thoroughly chilling performance from Blanche Baker), who encourages her sons and their friends to join in with the abuse. David (Daniel Manche), the boy next door who has befriended the older sister, is appalled by what he witnesses, but is unable to prevent poor Meg from being beaten, branded, raped and mutilated.
A totally harrowing experience designed to leave you feeling numb inside, this is far from what could be described as an enjoyable film, but as a study of just how corrupt and evil people can be to a fellow human being, there are few that are more effective. Kudos to all involved in making such a powerful ode to the sickness inherent in mankind.
- BA_Harrison
- Jul 29, 2016
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 31 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1