Controversial Thriller With Jennifer Lopez Heads to Netflix Despite One of the Lowest Possible RT Score

Being recognized mostly as a singer, Jennifer Lopez has in fact a great number of decent projects in her acting portfolio. These include the crime comedy Out of Sight (1998) and pretty charming romcoms, like The Wedding Planner (2001) and Marry Me (2022).

Nevertheless, her other films often fall victims to critics’ judgment, and the 2015 thriller coming to Netflix is no exception here. It earned a miserably low score on Rotten Tomatoes, 12%, however, it’s claimed to be entertaining as a ‘too bad it’s good’ movie.

Its plot revolves around Claire (Lopez), a high school teacher who has just separated from her cheating husband. When a 19-year-old nice guy named Noah moves in next door, he not only befriends Claire’s teenage son, but also becomes sexually attracted to the woman herself.

Claire flirts with him too and ends up having sex with Noah, but later regrets it and tries to end their relationship. The boy is not gonna let her go, though.

This premise can seem of much interest, especially today when the streaming charts are dominated by the flicks about the age-gap romances, Netflix’s A Family Affair and Prime’s The Idea of You. It’s even more curious when such a relationship gets creepy.

Besides, the movie’s script was written by the former criminal lawyer Barbara Curry and inspired by her own experiences. It’s also partially based on the story of Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher who seduced an underage student, that was adapted for Natalie Portman ’s drama May December (2023).

However, don’t be misguided, as Lopez’s thriller compares rather unfavorably to all those flicks, as it was panned for being generic and plain, while its plot twists are ridiculously predictable and boring.

Titled The Boy Next Door, this film was an attempt to reinvent the genre of nostalgic erotic thrillers, like Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction, but clearly a failed one.

Luckily, we can perceive it as a guilty pleasure comedy.

“So bad it was good...i went into this movie just wanting to kinda laugh and relax <...>. it didnt disappoint,” says Redditor razoRamone31.

The Boy Next Door will become available for streaming on Netflix on July 16.