Review of Let the Right One In (2008) by Mohamed A — 07 Aug 2012

"Let the Right One In" is, at its heart, a sweet coming-of-age story which is so unique and different that it simply defies categorization. In this Swedish film, adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist's bestselling book, director Tomas Alfredson dares to mix pleasure and pain in a way that is both horrifying and tender but in my opinion the american remake is better than this because "let me in" its darker ,more depressing and its music was unforgettable .

"Let the Right One In" has a storyline which, although it reveals some secrets early on, is best left as a surprise. So this will necessarily be one of those rare reviews in which the less said about the plot the better.

12-year-olds Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) meet one snowy afternoon at a jungle gym in the courtyard of Oskar's housing complex outside Stockholm. Their young, tender attraction for each other is apparent right from the start and we think we know where their relationship is headed.

But there is a deep dark secret to be discovered here and when it's revealed the audience is both repulsed and curiously fascinated at the same time, in a similar fashion as when yellow crime scene tape brings us closer rather than warning us away.

The supporting cast is completely beholden to the narrative as it revolves around the adorable young couple, whose performances rival the best I've ever seen for actors of that age. The innocence and vulnerability of Hedebrant's Oskar is simply a tour-de-force and he admirably carries the film on his little shoulders.

Leandersson matches him scene by scene, line by line, and the result literally gave me chills.