Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In is a quiet, chilling coming-of-age horror that blends tenderness and brutality. Set in a wintry Los Alamos, New Mexico, the film follows lonely 12-year-old Owen, a bullied misfit whose life changes when a mysterious girl, Abby, moves in next door. By day she’s withdrawn and otherworldly; by night she becomes his only confidante. As their fragile friendship deepens, Owen discovers that Abby keeps a dark secret — and a violent protector — that ties her to a string of grisly murders under police investigation. Watching the movie you’ll experience a slow-burning, melancholic atmosphere more than jump scares: muted, snowy landscapes, intimate cinematography, and a subdued soundtrack create a sense of isolation and tenderness. Performances (notably by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloë Grace Moretz) make the relationship believable and affecting, while the film’s restrained depiction of vampiric violence feels stark and unsettling when it appears. Themes of loneliness, revenge, moral ambiguity, and the painful longing for connection drive the story, producing both empathy and unease. If you like character-driven horror with a melancholic tone and moral complexity — a U.S. reimagining of Let the Right One In — you’ll find Let Me In emotionally affecting and quietly disturbing. Content warning: scenes of violence and blood.

Actors: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins

Director: Matt Reeves

Runtime: 116 min

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror

6.4 /10 79 /100 7.1 /10 7.1 /10