The Good Neighbor Review: Rhys Meyers Steals The Show In Flawed Thriller

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Well-paced and genuinely tense, Stephan Rick's The Good Neighboris a familiar kind of thriller. Based on the premise alone, it's easy to see how the plot will unfold, even when one actually begins watching the film. Miraculously, though, that doesn't do much to undermine the suspense Rick steadily builds over its runtime. This isn't a movie that breaks new ground, but there is something to be said about the enjoyment that can come from traveling a well-trodden road, even if the journey has some flaws. The Good Neighbor struggles with convenient plot points and inconsistent characterization, yet is still a thrilling ride thanks to its menacing lead.

American journalist David Stevens (Luke Kleintank) has recently moved to Riga, Latvia for a shiny new job. What first seems like a glorious opportunity to get away from the hurts of his past takes a nightmarish turn one night while out with his charismatic neighbor Robert (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). While heading home after connecting with a beautiful woman at a club, David hits the very same woman with his car, killing her. David and Robert work to keep the tragedy under wraps, something that becomes very complicated when the woman's sister Vanessa (Eloise Smyth) starts digging for answers. As David gets closer to Vanessa, Robert's darker side comes out as he seeks to maintain his hold over David.

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Thrillers live or die on their pacing and The Good Neighbor smartly moves along at a rather steady clip. Rick co-wrote the screenplay with Ross Partridge (which was based on an original screenplay by Rick and Silja Clemens), and save from a stretch near the middle where the action shifts into a lower