Let Me In- 4.5/5

I walked into the theater tonight expecting to hate Let Me In. It’s Swedish source material is one of my favorite movies, and this year hasn’t been a good one for remakes of great movies (Death at a Funeral, need I say more?). I was surprised, to say the least. Let Me In’s filmmakers struck an outstanding balance of maintaining the story and spirit of the original film and altering it enough to make it their own and suit and American audience (because an American audience fears nothing like they fear subtitles).
The film was very well cast, and outstanding performances were given by all. Richard Jenkins and Chloe Moretz deserve special mention. While always an outstanding actor, Jenkins’ performance gave a new level of depth to Abby’s guardian, and portrayed him in a much more human fashion than his predecessor. Hs wide range of facial expression gave a deeper understanding of the characters motives than the audience was given in the past version of the film. Chloe Moretz is rapidly becoming one of my favorite young actresses (if Let Me In isn’t proof enough, just watch Kick-Ass or (500) Days of Summer) and her performance was nothing short of spectacular.
Let Me In’s design was also stupendous. The design team fully committed to the period, and included lots of small details (such as the Reagan speeches on the television, or period radio commercials) that really enhanced the feel of the movie. The soundtrack also included several truly classic early 80s numbers that brought a smile to my face. The only area of design that I have any complaints about is costume design. During the scene when Abby enters Owen’s home without permission, I would have been happier to have seen her wearing white. In my opinion that would have been more visually striking. This is just one example of several interesting color choices that struck me as being... not right. Beyond that, Let Me In’s design was nothing short of outstanding.
I have only two significant complaints about Let Me In, and they didn’t even occur to me until I sat down to write. The film employs a non-linear narrative, in contrast to the style of the original. While opening with the scenes in the ambulance and hospital created some early suspense and started the film with a bang, I’m of the opinion that it detracted from deeper suspense later, as it becomes apparent that Abby’s guardian is going to be caught. The original film, while admittedly slower in the beginning, used the uncertainty about the guardian’s fate to create excellent tension later in the film. That tension served as an excellent introduction to the film’s climax.
The other complaint I have pertains directly to the film’s climax. The Swedish version contained several scenes of foreshadowing that allowed the audience to predict, at least in small part, how Owen’s conflict with bullies was going to end. This new version did not contain the same element. The subtraction of just a few lines of dialogue made all the difference here.
On the whole however, Let Me In was a truly fantastic movie. It did justice and paid homage to its source material, while maintaining enough difference to be distinct. While the points that I mentioned above caused me minor distress, I must stress how minor it was. After conferring with my moviegoing companion for the evening, I’ve come to the conclusion that these points won’t even be noticed by those who haven’t seen the original film. Overall, I give Let Me In 4.5 out of 5, for doing a great remake of a great movie. Go forth and watch.