Let the Right One In
By Dan Birlew | Posted April 10, 2009 in Film Reviews | Comments OffVampires go to extremes in films today. 30 Days of Night depicts them as ultra-violent ravenous dogs, while Twilight gives us sparkly, high coifed teen idols who just want to cuddle. These aggravating polar opposites may be the reason that Swedish foreign film Låt Den Rätte Komma In (Let the Right One In) strikes a harmonious chord of balance, a tale of teen angst and adolescent love with more charm and “truth” than most other vampire movies of late.
The film follows 12-year old Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a loner who’s recently become the target of school bullies. He spends his time outside school seething, collecting newspaper clippings of murder stories, and stabbing a tree outside his apartment building with his father’s knife. Obviously, he’s headed down a dark path.
Oskar bonds with vampire Eli in "Let the Right One In"
One night Oskar meets the little girl that just moved in the apartment next door. She is Eli (Lena Leandersson), who despite the snow on the ground doesn’t seem to need a jacket or shoes. The two gradually build a relationship during their nightly outdoor meetings, and Eli gives Oskar the encouragement he needs to fight back in school.
Complications rise as Eli’s situation starts to draw attention. Her elderly caretaker, Håkan (Per Ragnar), usually kills young men and drains their blood so that Eli can feed. However, he’s starting to lose his touch. After Håkan’s near discovery, he’s forced to “retire” and Eli must hunt for herself. Soon, she can no longer hide her true nature from Oskar.
Eli's true nature affects her relationship with Oskar.
Let the Right One In is a bittersweet tale of childhood adolescence told with fantastic cinematography and compelling characters. The film is gruesome also, but the gore rightly takes a backseat to the kids’ relationship. Plus, if vampires existed and a child fell in love with one, this story paints a slightly more “accurate” portrait of the predicaments that could arise. Let the Right One In is available on DVD with both English and the original Swedish audio tracks, and subtitles.
