Let Me In (2010)
Directed by Matt Reeves
Written by Matt Reeves
Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, Elias Koteas, Richard Jenkins
Release Date October 1st, 2010
Published October 1st, 2010
As I watched the American re-imagining of the Swedish vampire movie “Let The Right One In,” re-titled “Let Me In,” a pair of troglodytic morons giggled at things that frankly should not have elicited such school girl glee. They giggled when Chloe Moretz as the 12 year old starving vampire leapt upon her pray. They giggled when her non-vamp caretaker Richard Jenkins committed murder on her behalf. And, most disturbingly, they giggled during a touching scene of innocence, kindness and tender pre-teen romance.
Were they right? Was I wrong for taking it all too seriously? I found director Matt Reeves take on stark Swedish horror to be at once moving and terrifying. The young stars Chloe Moretz and Kodi Smit McPhee lured me in with their innocence and devastated me with their kindness, strength and for Moretz her stunning tendency for great violence, the same tendency that ironically played perfectly for giggles in the action flick “Kick Ass.”
”Let Me In” stars Kodi Smit McPhee as Owen, the son of an alcoholic mother and an absent father. Owen is picked on repeatedly at school and has no friends. His only comfort seems to come from stealing money from his mother to buy candy, specifically Now & Laters. He is alone until a strange girl named Abby (Moretz) moves in next door.
Abby first tells Owen that they cannot be friends. Soon, however, she is spending time with him and they develop a system of talking to each other through the walls of their neighboring apartments. Strangely, Abby is only seen at night. She walks in the snow with no shoes and does not get cold. The man who Owen believes is Abby's father (Richard Jenkins) keeps odd hours and odd habits. All of these traits add up to an undeniable truth but Owen keeps that far from his mind as he basks in the attention he cannot get from parents or school.
What begins as a modest friendship develops into a touching pre-teen romance and as Owen covets Abby's attention and she is caring. She recognizes Owen's pain and aims to protect him. The scenes laying out this unique and fascinating relationship unfold with care and calm juxtaposed against scenes in which 'the father' attempts to acquire Abby's needed sustenance, scenes filled with chaos and fear.
Remakes are as a rule a bad idea but writer-director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) cleverly works around the perils of the remake by casting Moretz and McPhee whose work nearly made me forget the excellent work of the young Swedish stars of Let the Right One In. Moretz and McPhee have a magical chemistry that mixes innocence and intelligence, fear and mistrust with wanting and a desire to connect. It's a remarkable thing for two so young to be both worldly and guileless.
The casting is the key in “Let Me In” and Moretz and McPhee are matched perfectly by veteran supporting actors Richard Jenkins and Elias Koteas who plays a police inspector on the trail of 'the father' and on the verge of finding Abby and her terrifying secret. Koteas is brilliant in a minimalist performance that could be mistaken for being one note with how calm he remains but is in fact the pulsing heart of the film, especially as he gets closer to discovering Abby.
Let Me In is stunningly violent at times and shockingly calm and observant at others. It is a wonder of strong direction and killer performances that will frighten, amuse and move a willing audience. It may be arrogant on my part but those two giggling fools were wrong, this film deserves a serious audience, one that pays it the proper attention. Those that do will be rewarded with one of the finest dramatic, gothic horror films of the past decade.
