The Boys Next Door
Movie • 1996 • Comedy
ReportSynopsis
Jack Palmer is a social worker whose job has taken precedence over his personal life. Mainly, his job is to help four mentally challenged men live regular lives in a home. They consist of: Norman, who works at a donut shop and has a thing for keys; Barry, who thinks he is a golf pro and doesn't communicate well with his father; Arnold, who is into all things Russian and has a habit of spending money; and Lucien, who is into Spider Man and must testify before the state senate. Jack wants to help them, but he also thinks it is time to move on with his life. The hard part is trying to say goodbye to the guys he cares about.
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Your Triggers
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Needs More Answers
Were animals harmed in the making?
201 supporters
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candycain
a hamster is killed, but the credits state that the hamster was not harmed
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Does it have a sad ending?
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rockywashere
SPOILERS -- It's up to your perspective.
Jack makes sure the boys are well and makes his final decision to leave them, though Barry is left for himself in the hospital.
Jack makes sure the boys are well and makes his final decision to leave them, though Barry is left for himself in the hospital.
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Abandonment
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Abuse
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rockywashere
While they are both adults, Barry's dad visits him and both verbally and physically abuses him.
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rockywashere
Spoilers: Barry's dad comes to visit and they go to the golf driving range. His dad belittles him, grabs him by the shirt and the shoulders, shakes him, and manhandles him aggressively
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Addiction
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rockywashere
Not on camera, but there is a scene where Jack checks prescription bottles in the bathroom to make sure the boys are taking their medication.
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Animal
Are animals abused?
273 supporters
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rockywashere
The boys find a hamster ("a rat") in their home and eventually kill it and flush it down the toilet.
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rockywashere
The boys find a hamster ("a rat") in their home and eventually kill it and flush it down the toilet.
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Is there a dead animal?
157 supporters
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rockywashere
The boys find a hamster ("a rat") in their home and eventually kill it and flush it down the toilet.
1 comment | Add comment
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Is an animal sad?
118 supporters
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DELAE
Dog kidnapped and appears to be stressed and scared
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Assault
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Bodily Harm
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Is someone crushed to death?
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Dan
a hamster is
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Children
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Death
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Disability
Is the r-slur used?
40 supporters
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candycain
i believe four times. once around 6:38, jack is talking with the new neighbor and she says "i just don't know how my husband is gonna feel about living next to r*****d people". jack responds with "the word r*****d...." but is cut off. later, a little less than an hour in, one of the developmentally disabled character jokes to jack after he messes something up, "what a r****d". they both laugh. shortly after that scene, the same character says it again during a speech. however, this scene is not exactly that character. it's more like how jack sees him. it's somewhat of a "fantasy", for lack of a better word.
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Drugs/Alcohol
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Family
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Fear
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Gross
Does someone wet/soil themselves?
26 supporters
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rockywashere
No, but Arnold gets water on his pants, worries that it will look like he wet himself, so he intentionally gets more water on his pants and makes up an elaborate story about it.
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Large-scale Violence
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Law Enforcement
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LGBTQ+
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Medical
Is there a mental institution scene?
42 supporters
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rockywashere
Near the end, Barry is seen in a hospital where Jack visits him.
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Is there a hospital scene?
17 supporters
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rockywashere
There is a mental institution scene.
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Mental Health
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Is a mentally ill person violent?
43 supporters
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rockywashere
No, but a few characters get worked up and are inwardly aggressive. This movie makes a point to rewrite the stigma around assuming that mentally ill are inherently violent.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there misophonia?
42 supporters
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candycain
there's a scene towards the beginning of the movie where two characters are eating and drinking in the car. the noises aren't super loud, but they are there
1 comment | Add comment
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Are there anxiety attacks?
29 supporters
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rockywashere
Yes. The most pertinent scene is when Barry shakily receives a piece of mail and panics in the bathroom. No one in the film hyperventilates or cries out of sheer anxiety, but a few get worked up and overwhelmed.
1 comment | Add comment
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Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
1 supporters
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Is there autism specific abuse?
1 supporters
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rockywashere
Not autism specific, but the main four characters and other supporting characters are mentally ill or developmentally challenged. Many of them are taken advantage of by people who are (often) unknowing of their conditions. Barry is abused and yelled at by his father who comes to visit.
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Does someone die by suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
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Noxious
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Paranoia
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Prejudice
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Is there ableist language or behavior?
1 supporters
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rockywashere
Yes. In the beginning of the film, a new neighbor is moving next door. She almost immediately refers to the main characters as the r-slur and describes them as "the Three Stooges." The rest of this movie makes a point to change the stigma around mental illness.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there hate speech?
1 supporters
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rockywashere
The new next door neighbor in the beginning of the film refers to the main characters as the r-slur.
1 comment | Add comment
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Relationships
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Sex
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
104 supporters
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Sickness
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Social
Are there fat suits?
36 supporters
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candycain
Nathan Lane is wearing a fat suit. This movie takes place shortly after he lost weight. This is mentioned in the behind the scenes included with he DVD
1 comment | Add comment
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Spoiler
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Vehicular
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Does a car honk or tires screech?
14 supporters
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candycain
general traffic sounds briefly in the beginning (after the opening scene at the community center). repeated honking at the end during a highly emotional scene (jack breaks the news to the boys and barry goes outside and repeatedly honks the horn in jack's car)
1 comment | Add comment
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Violence
Is there blood/gore?
68 supporters
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candycain
no blood is shown at all, including in the scene involving the hamster.
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