All The Boys Love Mandy Lane Review

"All The Boys Love Mandy Lane" reviews

Movie

All The Boys Love Mandy Lane

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-02-08 15:40:11

Provider

Review

Mandy Lane is a pretty Texan high school girl. Despite having a series of boys lusting after her, Lane (Amber Heard) isn't interested. She keeps herself to herself and refuses to join in the drinking and drug-taking with her friends.

At first glance she's your typical slasher flick heroine; which is handy, because this is your typical slasher flick. A group of teens (including Mandy) go on a trip to a friend's family cabin. Secluded from the rest of the world, they get into the usual teenage shenanigans without realising someone is watching them. Is it the mysterious rancher? Or maybe it's Lane's old childhood friend, who is in love with her, but resentful that she has cut all ties with him.

First time director Jonathan Levine has a much stronger grip on the story than you would expect. The film has a washed out grainy look, with hand-held cameras jerking awkwardly to catch up with the (supposedly) improvised dialogue. It's all very in-your-face claustrophobic, creating an effective mood of tension and dread.

He also gets it right in the casting of Mandy. It's not hard to see why the striking Heard is the object of many boys' desire, but she downplays it cannily enough to infuse the character with charm and insecurity.

When the killings start, they are done with effective results - but it's the first twist that proves to be the most intriguing aspect of the movie. Done with a series of looks and quick glances, it's a sly nod to the virginal horror movie heroine cliché.

Sadly, the arrival of the second twist signals the film's derailment, stripping away its momentum and turning it into a completely different movie.

Ultimately, whether or not you fall for All The Boys Love Mandy Lane will rest on whether you buy its sudden left turn.