Let the Right One In
Composite Score: 84.27
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist, Ika Nord, Karl-Robert Lindgren, Cayetano Ruiz, Patrik Rydmark, Johan Charles, Mikael Erhardsson, and Rasmus Luthander
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Writer: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Coming-of-Age
MPAA Rating: R for some bloody violence including disturbing images, brief nudity, and language
Box Office: $11.23 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Let the Right One In is the film adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel of the same name about a 12-year-old boy who befriends a vampire in his neighborhood who helps him overcome his bullies. The film follows Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) as he struggles to stand up to boys in his class, living instead in morbid fantasies of fighting back without ever actually speaking for himself. At the same time, Eli (Lina Leandersson) has just moved in next door, surviving on blood brought to her by her middle-aged companion, Håkan. When Oskar and Eli begin to form a friendship, Håkan leaves out of jealousy, forcing Eli to take more risks in her quest for blood. The local adults come into conflict with the vampire, just as Oskar’s bullies continue to escalate their mistreatment of him, leading to a gruesome but satisfying conclusion that leaves the audience pondering adolescence, violence, and our perception of “the other”.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Let the Right One In is a deeply unconventional film in all of its genres, featuring very little terror for a horror film, more friendship than relationship for a romance, a surprising amount of violence for a coming-of-age tale, and only one real vampire for a vampire film. It’s not going to please audiences looking for the conventions of a vampire romance or a horror film, but that doesn't make it inherently bad. It just changes the way that the audience needs to approach this film. You can’t go in expecting anything but this slow burn adolescent friendship film that happens to feature a vampire. If you’re able to get into that mindset, it’ll be a truly rewarding film, but if not, you’ll probably find yourself frustrated and/or bored while watching it.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
The methodical plod and subtle but intricate cinematography of Let the Right One In define it as a genre-bending piece of art that begs its viewers to dive into it headfirst and see where the whole thing leads. Each scene in Alfredson’s film seems designed to build toward the film’s multiple conflict resolutions and ultimate conclusion. They deserve to be rewatched because of how well they present Lindqvist’s story without ever giving away the endgame. How do Oskar’s bullies connect to the local group of drinking buddies whose friend was one of Eli’s victims? What is the nature of Håkan’s relationship to Eli? What vampire rules govern Eli’s existence? Can Oskar stand up for himself without compromising his innocence? Is Eli good, evil, or something in between? All of these thematic and narrative questions come to the fore at some point throughout the film’s runtime, and most of them get a clear answer by the end, but the journey to get there is what makes it so rewarding. You feel the interplay of Alfredson’s direction, Lindqvist’s writing, and even Hoyte Van Hoytema’s cinematography driving you from scene to scene, raising these questions within your mind that you would never have thought about without this film. It’s so uniquely beautiful within its genres that, for most audiences, its genre bending is easily forgiven and is, indeed, part of what makes the film as great as it is.
Let the Right One In is an intentionally crafted film with all parts working in sync to take the audience through its unique story to a conclusion that feels so inevitable by the time it happens because of the craftsmanship that brought it there, making this truly one of the Greatest Films of All Time. Its existence within genres that it refuses to fully embrace can be frustrating for viewers who only know of the film by reputation, but those willing to become immersed in the story and world of the film will be rewarded with one of the more engaging film experiences of the last twenty years. It is currently available to stream on Fubo TV, Hoopla, or Magnolia Selects for people with those subscriptions or to rent on most streaming services for people without.
