THE GOOD NEIGHBOR is a thriller perhaps too successful at what it sets out to do. The protagonists are a couple of extremely unpleasant American teenagers who decide - for a prank - to make the life of their elderly neighbour a misery. To this end they set up various hidden cameras in his home (to allow for some found footage-style suspense and thrills) and then proceed to trick him by turning his heating off, making his door bang, and various other stupidity. Things gradually spiral out of control until a twist ending. If it all sounds a little like DISTURBIA then that's because it is, but this film does turn out to be more mature and philosophical about the subject matter than most and the ending is decent. The main actors are sufficiently irritating but the highlight is old-timer James Caan who does very well in a difficult role.

Ethan (Logan Miller) and his close friend Sean (Keir Gilchrist) decide to perform an experiment to see if they can alter the behavior of a person by making them think their house is haunted. They select their near hermit psycho-creepy neighbor Harold Grainy (James Caan with Dick Cheney glasses) at 614 Coverbridge Lane, Santa Clarita, California. He doesn't lock his doors. They were able to rig his house and set up small video units.

This illegal activity leads to a trial which involves "a body" in an infrequent courtroom subplot. They are intrigued by his locked basement door...what is down there? Is that where the bodies are kept? At about an hour into the film they start with background information on the good neighbor. Listed as a thriller, it does tingle the nerves.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

I'm generaly not a big fan of pranks. So the movie is in a disadvantage from the get go. The fact that we have flashbacks and the now time, that show us the consequences of what occured is a nice touch. And James Caan can never do wrong. He is as intense as it gets.

And without him and his really subtle performance, the movie would only be half as good. And still you have cliches and other tropes that may give you some displeasure. Annoyed or not, the movie could have been impactful - especially considering the punch it holds for the ending or conclusion of the encounters ... Unfortunately while it isn't a bad movie, it isn't a really good one either.