Movie Review - Let Me In

Let Me In - ****

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins

Review:  I am not one for this vampire movement that has taken the country by storm the last 5 years or so.  I have always liked the Dracula mythos, but this recent glamorization of vampires via Twilight and True Blood and everything else is just annoying.  I don’t imagine it would be glamorous to be a vampire, it would be torturous.  You cannot have true human companionship ever again, not to mention that the more years that pass by the more disconnected you become from humanity.  All vampires are not good looking, they are not suave and super intelligent, they have the same mental/emotional desires we have (plus a few others); only they have increasingly less means to quiet those desires.  It would be a constant struggle to keep oneself under control and you wouldn’t always win that struggle.

That constant struggle is what is at the apex of ‘Let Me In,’ the struggle between these desires and the reality that you can’t, or at least shouldn’t, get involved.  This is the struggle that long-time vampire Abby has to deal with after moving in next to Owen, her 12 year old next door neighbor.  Owen comes from a broken home and has to deal with an unyielding group of bullies at school.  His only escape is going out by himself in the courtyard of his mom’s apartment complex, and his only wish is to have a friend or someone who he can confide in.  This is not a surprising desire for a 12 year old troubled child. 

It is out in this courtyard where Owen meets Abby for the first time.  Within minutes of meeting Abby she tells Owen, “We can’t be friends.”  She has been through this before.  She has a sense of vulnerability to her from her years of being a vampire and searching for that something that is missing that makes her instantly appealing to men.  This is what appeals her to Owen.  He instantly spots a kindred spirit and looks to make himself a new friend.  Abby notices this immediately and attempts to put the kybosh on this.

However, just as Owen was drawn to Abby, she is drawn back to him and finds herself visiting the courtyard every night to hang out with Owen more.  They begin to strike up a friendship and go on “dates” as their young relationship begins to expand.  This complicates the issue with Abby and her “father” which leads to a little tension.  Against his wishes, Abby continues to hang out with Owen and it causes her “father” to take some drastic actions.

I will not spoil the rest of the plot for any of you who want to see it (which you should).  What fascinates me about this movie is the “realistic” portrayal of the life of a vampire.  As mentioned above, our innate desire to be close to other people would rule your life as a vampire.  You wouldn’t want to torture anybody else by making them a vampire but it would be extremely difficult to accept as the world around you moves on and you just stand still.  How would you deal with that?  It’s an interesting question that is raised and it is dealt with in a very realistic manner.  There is no glamorous life of being a vampire here, just a tortured existence that you have to deal with.  This is what made the movie so great for me.  This movie is relentless with it's tension, expertly done, and definitely worth your time.  One of the best films of the year so far.

***SPOILER ALERT***


Sorry to Elias Koteas.  You knew it was coming.