It's 1984 Ipswich, Oregon. Even serial killers live next door to somebody. Teen boys are missing and the Cape May Slayer is on the hunt. Paper boy Davey Armstrong suspects his neighbor policeman Wayne Mackey after recognizing a kid from the milk carton. He and his friends hang out, play manhunt, and start investigating the cop next door. He has a crush on his former babysitter neighbor Nikki.
This is Stranger Things crossed with Hitchcock. Stranger Things is becoming a genre of its own and this is full ST. The kids are not quite as cute. They're older and talk a lot of trash about sex. The plot does run over a couple of speed bumps. The first comes in the form of the parents. I buy the skepticism but I can't buy the lack of skepticism. I can accept them dismissing the kid. I can't accept that he has absolute faith in any policeman. It's not like he's a priest. The parents are an awkward movie trope. The last act goes through some more awkwardness. The villain's reappearance is completely expected. It needs to incorporate the walkie talkie. It also needs to keep Nikki around. It does do something unexpected. Overall, this is a fine nostalgia thriller.
This is Stranger Things crossed with Hitchcock. Stranger Things is becoming a genre of its own and this is full ST. The kids are not quite as cute. They're older and talk a lot of trash about sex. The plot does run over a couple of speed bumps. The first comes in the form of the parents. I buy the skepticism but I can't buy the lack of skepticism. I can accept them dismissing the kid. I can't accept that he has absolute faith in any policeman. It's not like he's a priest. The parents are an awkward movie trope. The last act goes through some more awkwardness. The villain's reappearance is completely expected. It needs to incorporate the walkie talkie. It also needs to keep Nikki around. It does do something unexpected. Overall, this is a fine nostalgia thriller.