Let the Right One In (2008, Swedish)

Director: Tomas Alfredson

Cast: Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson

Genre: Drama

Oskar (Hedebrant) is a 12 year old who is always bossed around by some boys in his class. He is too timid to take a stand. Finally, it takes a Vampire to spur him on.

This is a low budget, albeit well made, Swedish film. The movie is more about innocent bond that Oskar shares with vampire Eli (Leandersson). She is his courage, someone he could talk to, and for Eli Oskar is the emotional support, companion she needs. They always look after each other and are best of friends. Unlike Twilight, it’s not a love story. Both the protagonists deliver solid performances and their combined scenes don’t seem like being acted out at all.

The director does a brilliant job in seamlessly embedding a vampire tale to a normal day-to-day life of a small Stockholm town. The movie in itself is quite bizarre and cannot justify what was the point of such a story, apart from satisfying the creative pangs of an artist. Yes, it is entirely a director’s movie, for himself and a niche audience. And it is during such self-satisfying works that the overflow of creative juices results in great movies.

It has moral value – a boy learns to be brave. However, overall treatment is quite unusual. Not sure, what the actual novel tried to convey. In all, the movie is an artistic achievement in dealing with intricacies of human nature.

With so many vampire movies around—not commenting on their being good or bad, or any other comparisons—this one seems very real and is like a breath of fresh air.

8.4/10