Let the Right One In (2008)

Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.

Director:

Tomas Alfredson

Writers:

John Ajvide Lindqvist (screenplay), John Ajvide Lindqvist (novel)

Stars:

Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 72 wins & 51 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kåre Hedebrant	...	Oskar
Lina Leandersson	...	Eli
Per Ragnar	...	Håkan
Henrik Dahl	...	Erik
Karin Bergquist	...	Yvonne
Peter Carlberg	...	Lacke
Ika Nord	...	Virginia
Mikael Rahm	...	Jocke
Karl-Robert Lindgren	...	Gösta
Anders T. Peedu	...	Morgan
Pale Olofsson	...	Larry
Cayetano Ruiz	...	Magister Avila
Patrik Rydmark	...	Conny
Johan Sömnes	...	Andreas
Mikael Erhardsson	...	Martin

Storyline

Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | bullying | boyfriend girlfriend relationship | girl | boy | 

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Taglines:

Eli is 12 years old. She's been 12 for over 200 years and, she just moved in next door.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some bloody violence including disturbing images, brief nudity and language

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish Spanish

Release Date:

12 December 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Let the Right One In

Filming Locations:

Blackeberg, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$49,295, 26 October 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,122,065, 30 April 2009

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,282,007, 5 April 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

EFTI, Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB, Filmpool Nord

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

(at around 55 mins) In the bed scene with Oskar and Eli, she plays a game of "how many fingers am I using" by tapping on his back that seems somewhat out of character for her. In a deleted scene which was apparently intended to precede this scene, Oskar plays this game with her and she does not understand it (although she does correctly guesses the number of fingers). Her version of the game appears to be using different words, as if she can not quite remember what it was that he said.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 45 mins) The bully would have had to rotate his arm 180 degrees from the direction in which he'd "normally" hold Oscar's hair, for it to be positioned with his knuckles facing back toward himself, as shown in the underwater shot.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Oskar: Squeal like a pig. So, squeal.

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Connections

Referenced in Scream: The TV Series: Let the Right One In (2016)

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Soundtracks

Längtans Blomma är Storst På Håll
Music by Franz Schubert, arranged by Lars Bagge
Lyrics by Hans Alfredson and Tage Danielsson

User Reviews

Brilliantly original work of art, both horrifying and tender

"Let the Right One In" is, at its heart, a sweet coming-of-age story which is so unique and different that it simply defies categorization. In this Swedish film, adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist's bestselling book, director Tomas Alfredson dares to mix pleasure and pain in a way that is both horrifying and tender.

"Let the Right One In" has a storyline which, although it reveals some secrets early on, is best left as a surprise. So this will necessarily be one of those rare reviews in which the less said about the plot the better. 12-year-olds Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) meet one snowy afternoon at a jungle gym in the courtyard of Oskar's housing complex outside Stockholm. Their young, tender attraction for each other is apparent right from the start and we think we know where their relationship is headed. But there is a deep dark secret to be discovered here and when it's revealed the audience is both repulsed and curiously fascinated at the same time, in a similar fashion as when yellow crime scene tape brings us closer rather than warning us away.

The supporting cast is completely beholden to the narrative as it revolves around the adorable young couple, whose performances rival the best I've ever seen for actors of that age. The innocence and vulnerability of Hedebrant's Oskar is simply a tour-de-force and he admirably carries the film on his little shoulders. Leandersson matches him scene by scene, line by line, and the result literally gave me chills.

Production values are stellar, with all technical aspects -- lighting, original music by Johan Soderqvist, and Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography -- combining in perfect synchronization to produce a Hitchockian tale that somehow brings love and light into what could have been the darkest drama imaginable.

"Let the Right One In" was the overwhelming choice for Best Narrative Feature after its North American Premiere here at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is a truly well-deserved honor. Tomas Alfredson has crafted a brilliant work of art that left me shaking my head with wonder.