The Boy Downstairs

PG-13

Released Feb 16, 2018

1h 31m

Romance

Comedy

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List

64%

47 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Diana moves back to New York City after a few years abroad and finds the perfect Brooklyn apartment for a fresh start. During the first night in her new home, she discovers that her ex-boyfriend Ben lives in the apartment below hers. After an awkward reunion, Diana proclaims her intentions for a genuine friendship. But as old wounds are opened, both Diana and Ben are forced to confront the true nature of their feelings.

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Critics Consensus

The Boy Downstairs finds a few fresh moments in its familiar setup and benefits from Zosia Mamet's charismatic performance, both of which are enough to keep viewers interested.

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Tori B

I absolutely loved this film. It is not one of those movies with a big dramatic twist and turn that shocks you, it is just a good simple indie movie that is very realistic in it's plot and characters that most people can relate too. The acting is fantastic and the characters are portrayed perfectly in such a charming, endearing manner. I loved it and will recommend it to those who enjoy small indie films such as I do! There's not a lot of films that I find "realistic" and this is absolutely one of them! So well done!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

Full Review

Aaron S

What an honest little movie. It doesn't overreach its small space it's able to occupy and it doesn't try to say anything besides the fact the idea of "not knowing" is hard. Uncertainty and the anxiety that surrounds that is something that permeates young adulthood and frankly, I haven't been able to shake it as I grow older. Maybe nobody does and people are just really good at looking sure of themselves. In any case, what Diana (Mamet) is so good at communicating is that while your life can be overall stable in the grand scheme of things - she's got a cool ass apartment, friends, she's beautiful - that sense of instability can be looking over your shoulder at any moment. It's funny to say as a late 30's married man, but Mamet was a warm hug of relatability in The Boy Downstairs and while its story isn't exactly unique, her charisma and the charm of this movie really won me over.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Barbara S

If you like obnoxious millennials this is the movie for you. The main character has that voice fry down to a fine art and the constant use of so and yeah is nauseating. I got about 10 mins in and had to stop...

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/23

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Mike J

Sonic is a movie theater movie star movie theater theater movie theaters north king

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/29/22

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Roger H

Most rom-coms are 100% phony, and the few that aren't are 98% phony. This one doesn't feel phony at all. The plotline doesn't have any particularly original to offer, but then don't most relationships tend to follow a few timeworn paths? This movie shows that a straightforward portrayal of the common relationship joys and heartbreaks can be tremendously moving, even without a murder plot or a bunch of yelling and screaming. Zosia Mamet's tremendous performance brings the whole movie to life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/06/22

Full Review

Audience Member

I was nervous at the beginning of this movie, as we quickly get the typical quirky-white-girl (Zosia Mamet)-moves-to-NYC-to-be-a-writer-but-works-in-the-service-industry (wedding dress shop)-and-somehow-can-afford-to-live-in-a-gorgeous-airy-classic-brownstone, but going forward, The Boy Downstairs was an enjoyable watch. Mamet was one of the more likable characters on HBO's Girls, but suffered from having the worst-written arc. Since then, I don't believe I've seen her in anything, and found her presence refreshing — given the initial concerns — and her wit authentic and unforced. Diana (Mamet) moves into a building wherein, unknowingly, her ex-boyfriend, Ben (Matthew Shear), lives downstairs. This plot could've taken a silly turn, amounting to silly run-ins and moments of silly happenstance, but instead it covers all the bases of awkwardness, jealousy, and re-surfacing feelings expected in the set-up, but keeps it grounded. The film mixes in flashbacks of Diana and Ben's first date, move-in, and break-up, which sometimes became a little confusing. There's a pretty good "Declaration of Loveologue"™ and I think an answer to the "will they or won't they?" plot. Sure, some of the film plays like a fantasy — besides the apartment, Diana has the greatest relationship a tenant has had with her landlord (Deirdre O'Connell) ever put on screen — but The Boy Downstairs never gets smarmy, saccharine, silly, and most importantly, boring. *Last note, the "Radiohead" line is laugh-out-loud funny.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Sophie Brooks

Director

Zosia Mamet

Diana

Matthew Shear

Ben

Deirdre O'Connell

Amy

Sarah Ramos

Meg

Diana Irvine

Gabby

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The Boy Downstairs: Trailer 1

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

The bridge between quirky and irksome is very, very small, but I actually really liked it... It did a very good job of capturing the awkward intimacy of relations, particularly of estranged relations.

Aug 28, 2018

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

The screenplay of this post-mumblecore, millennial When Harry Met Sally trades on good humour and scarlet-making awkward situations.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 18, 2018

Full Review

Olly Richards

Empire Magazine

Zosia Mamet is the major selling point here. In a film that's lovely but unlikely to prove memorable, she shows she can carry a film with immense charm.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 12, 2018

Full Review

Katie Hogan

VultureHound

There is a wonderfully awkward but natural chemistry between Mamet's Diana and Matthew Shear's Ben that makes the film flow easier, especially in this genre.

Feb 4, 2020

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Dominic Griffin

Spectrum Culture

Is there a film genre more tiresome than indie dramedies about artsy twentysomethings and their solipsistic struggles for romance?

Rated: 2.5/5

Jul 17, 2019

Full Review

Tori Brazier

One Room With A View

A fresh take on a continuously popular storyline of boy meets girl...Its decidedly non-saccharine, relaxed approach makes it well worth your time.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 12, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Diana moves back to New York City after a few years abroad and finds the perfect Brooklyn apartment for a fresh start. During the first night in her new home, she discovers that her ex-boyfriend Ben lives in the apartment below hers. After an awkward reunion, Diana proclaims her intentions for a genuine friendship. But as old wounds are opened, both Diana and Ben are forced to confront the true nature of their feelings.

Director: Sophie Brooks
Producer: Paul Brooks
Screenwriter: Sophie Brooks
Distributor: FilmRise
Production Co: Cliffbrook Films, Motion Picture Capital
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|Some Sexual Material|Drug References)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.2K
Runtime: 1h 31m

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