The Neighbor (2017 film)

The Neighbor (also known as Last Days of Summer) is a 2018 American drama film co-written, produced and directed by Aaron Harvey. The film stars William Fichtner as Mike, a technical writer who sees his life shaken by the arrival of new, younger neighbors.

The Neighbor
Theatrical Release Poster
Directed byAaron Harvey
Produced byRobert Ogden Barnum
William Fichtner
Aaron Harvey
Oliver Ridge
Written byAaron Harvey
Richard Byard
Starring
Music byJames Curd
CinematographyJohn W. Rutland
Production
company
Michael Bruce Pictures
Blood Moon Creative
Distributed byVertical Entertainment
Release date
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$500,000 (estimated)

The Neighbor premiered at the 2016 Rhode Island International Film Festival where it won the festival's top prize for "Best Narrative Feature".[2] It was released theatrically in the United States on January 26, 2018 by Vertical Entertainment.[3]

Summary

Mike Prentis (William Fichtner) is a middle-aged man in a routine marriage, who works from home as a technical writer. When a new couple moves in next door, Mike quickly befriends the young Jenna (Jessica McNamee) and her car-dealer husband, Scott (Michael Rosenbaum). Working from home, Mike has plenty of time to pay attention to the beautiful woman next door; who slowly begins to reveal the details of her life with Scott, and the fact that all isn't as carefree as Scott would like it to appear. While Mike watches as the young couple's relationship begins to unravel, his own marriage starts coming apart at the seams. Mike's wife Lisa (Jean Louisa Kelly) sees Mike's attraction to Jenna forming and pulls further away from him - pushing their own relationship to the breaking point. Compounding the fact is Mike's son Alex (Colin Woodell), who returns from college and forms an unwitting friendship with Jenna, much to the distain of his father.

As Mike witnesses the perceived abuse of Jenna at the hands of Scott increasing, he makes one last dramatic and misguided effort to intervene - which in the end only serves to completely sever his relationship with Jenna, his family and life in general.

Cast

Release

Reception

The film premiered at the 2016 Rhode Island International Film Festival where it won the "Grand Prize, Best Narrative Feature" award".[4] It went on to play multiple other festivals, including the Quebec City Film Festival, the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival where it won both "Best Director" and "Best Actor" awards.[5]

Michael Rechtshaffen from the Los Angeles Times gave the film a good review writing: "Aaron Harvey's The Neighbor finds a sturdy constant in its thoughtfully delineated performances and handsome production values. Harvey's contained direction and John W. Rutland's impressive cinematography provide a sharply observed continuity that's as admirably contained as the Prentices' impeccably appointed, if spiritually anemic, home."[6] J.R. Southall gave the film 6 out of 10 and said: "The Neighbour... is just about absorbing enough to hold your attention until its powerful but bleak finale. But only just."[7] Niall Browne from "Movies In Focus" gave The Neighbour three stars out of five and stated: "A slow-burning domestic thriller, Aaron Harvey's The Neighbour is a tense little movie with a captivating central performance from William Fichtner."[8]

Author Stephen King tweeted of the film; "The Neighbor, now streaming: Low-key, but what a bravura performance from William Fichtner, one of America's great unsung actors."[9]

Accolades

The Neighbor received several awards and nominations.

Award Subject Nominee Result Ref.
Beloit International Film Festival Director of Programming Award Aaron Harvey
Oliver Ridge		 Won [10]
Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival Best Actor William Fichtner Won [5]
Best Director Aaron Harvey Won
Newport Beach Film Festival Best Film - Jury Award Aaron Harvey
Oliver Ridge		 Nominated [11]
Rhode Island International Film Festival Best Feature Film Aaron Harvey
Oliver Ridge		 Won [12]
Whistler Film Festival Narrative Feature - Audience Award Aaron Harvey
Oliver Ridge		 Nominated [13]

References
  1. "2017 Newport Beach Film Festival". newportbeachfilmfest.com.
  2. August 19, matthew; Reply, 2016 at 12:11 AM ยท (2016-08-18). "LAST DAYS OF SUMMER, PRISON DOGS, TWO WORLDS Win Top Awards at FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival". VIMOOZ. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  3. The Neighbor (2017) - IMDb, retrieved 2020-09-09
  4. "RIFF 2017 AWARD WINNERS". Vimooz.com. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  5. "HRIFF 2017 AWARD WINNERS". Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  6. Rechtshaffen, Michael. "Upper-middle-class male angst fuels 'The Neighbor'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  7. Southall, J.R. "THE NEIGHBOUR". Starburst Magazine. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  8. Browne, Niall. "Review: William Fichtner Is Captivating In THE NEIGHBOUR". Movies in Focus. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  9. "THE NEIGHBOR". Twitter. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  10. "The 2017 BIFFY Award Winners!". Beloit International Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  11. "Newport Beach Film Festival - 2017 Awards". IMDB. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  12. "Rhode Island International Film Festival - 2016 Awards". IMDB. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  13. "Whistler Film Festival - 2016 Awards". IMDB. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
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