The film is about a lonely boy, a seemingly smart, outcast in school that meets lonely girl, a smarter outcast of society. Oskar lives with his mother and visits his father who could be questioningly gay every weekend. He gets taunted by the bullies in school but doesn’t know how to fight back. In the evenings, he goes out to the courtyard at his apartment and exacts revenge on a tree trunk.

Eli moves in one night with a much older man, presumable her guardian/slave. She appears to Oskar only at night but declares that she can’t be his friend.

But she’s a kid who craves for company, not just her bumbling guardian/slave who could never seem to get things right. He goes out late at night to get blood for Eli, but keeps getting foiled. He gets interrupt mid-tapping by a dog and its owners, gets interrupted even before he could kill the next victim for Eli.

Eventually the child-couple falls in love, but as we all know, these relationships don’t come easy.

Think of Let the Right One In as the Swedish version of Twilight. Only it is alot less Hollywood, and alot more honest. Brutally honest. And violent.

The cinematography reminds me of another film “Dancer in the Dark”. There are no camera frills, no surprises, no fancy things that you see in Hollywood movies. Just stark and still visuals to make you focus on the story. Close up shots are used often especially for the two star-crossed loves (as Shakespeare might’ve put in had he seen this film), seemingly to tell the audience – the worldview is as simple as it can ever be, why can’t we all be like them?

Kåre Hedebrant’s portraying of Oskar is ernest. You sense his loneliness, his social awkwardness, and his sincerity with Eli. Lina Leandersson was marvellous as Eli, who you could imagine rising as Queen of Darkness if she ever grows up. Her portrayal of the character is a good contrast to Oskar’s innocence, you get a sense of wordliness, weariness and maturity, but at the same time she longs and craves for the company and innocence of a child just like her.

For those expecting horror and gore in this film, don’t bother. Let the Right One In is a genuine film exploring social issues and relationships under a romantic, idealistic storyline involving two young children who seem to know more about life than they ever should.