Set in a Swedish housing block in the winter of 1982, a pale wisp of a boy is tormented daily by bullies in his neighborhood. His savior, a vampire, moves in next door.

The boy, Oskar, lives with his divorced mother. He’s intelligent, has no friends and harbors violent revenge fantasies against his tormentors. Adults in the neighborhood offer no protection as they exist in their own shut-off spheres or in the camaraderie of an alcoholic fog. This creature, Eli, fragile yet impervious to cold and by turns controlling, methodical and lost, connects with Oskar. There is bloodshed, humor, empathy, pity and the beginnings of a romance.

Director Tomas Alfredson has crafted one of the best horror films of the last decade, or in my opinion in any genre. Ask my girlfriend. I don’t gush over films. But after seeing Let the Right One In at IFS on campus, I immediately wanted to see it again. She can’t stand films like this, but she put up with my enthusiasm.

American Astronaut (2001) was the last time I was this excited after seeing a film. Both completely different, but startlingly original. The closest vampire film comparison to LTROI would be Claire Denis‘ Trouble Every Day (2001), and as much as I admire that film, LTROI is so much better.

Recent horror films end up being cruelty for cruelty’s sake. The evil portrayed is obvious and cartoonish, or there’s an overabundance of shape-shifting special effects. LTROI eschews all that for mood, story, performance, setting. In a dense texture of amorality and fantasy, LTROI allows us to see the pain and void at the center of every character and how deliberately cruel we are to ourselves and to those around us just by shutting ourselves off. Oskar has gone to visit his father. A drinking buddy drops by. In a few moments of film, you see all that is wrong with the adults in Oskar’s life.

Lina Leandersson as Eli is otherworldly. Easily one of the most poignant, emotive performances I’ve ever seen. With no back story, we still know this existence was thrust upon her, against her will. The ache of time is anchored in her small frame. A mass of contradictions, as human now as she once was. In the midst of horrific acts that mean a burden of survival and guilt for all her days, there is no joy, but she’s the most alive and feeling person in the film. Alfredson complements this performance with the most subtle of effects. Watch her jump to the ground when she first meets Oskar. No swooshing twenty foot leap. Gravity hesitates just enough. Oskar decides to test one of the rules for being a vampire. Every emotion at play on Eli’s face make you feel what she’s going through, just for Oskar’s sake.

Continuity errors occasionally pulled me out of the moment, so LTROI isn’t perfect. No film is. Pan’s Labyrinth had mistakes. Or would you really want to penalize the genius of the classic fairy tales because of a typo?

And be warned, this is a horror story and at times not easy to watch. But LTROI tale is perfectly told. It’s oddly serene and still. It’s also masterful and dynamic, romantic and bittersweet. – [DVD]

Drama/Horror/Romance/Thriller

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 3/10/09

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