possibly the most highly praised film of last years festival circuit, let the right one in arrives complete with the sort of hype and expectation usually reserved for the summer blockbuster period. having anticipated this film for what seems like an age i felt somewhat let down with the final product. what an interesting premise suggests is let down by an unwelcome running time. the story doesnt feel big enough to necessitate the epic running time it is given, an act which isnt disguised by the tagged on ending, which follows a perfectly adequate conclusion anyway.

negatives out of the way and we are left with a satisfying experience, courtesy largely to a staggering pair of central performances and some beautiful photography. kåre hedebrant and lina leandersson are great as the two friends that map out the films direction. the character of oskar (played by hedebrant) actually develops in a very complex manner for a child performance, and is the highlight of the overall piece. prior to seeing the picture myself, a friend described it as ”a kitchen sink drama crossed with a horror film”, and by and large this is what i too took out of it. the central premise is accompanied by a rather touching subtext focussing on childhood alienation, which i found to be genuinely affecting, especially at the point where i expected the film to actually finish.