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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

Play trailer Poster for The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane PG 1976 1h 31m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Quiet, withdrawn 13-year-old Rynn Jacobs (Jodie Foster) lives peacefully in her home in a New England beach town. Whenever the prying landlady (Alexis Smith) inquires after Rynn's father, she politely claims that he's in the city on business. But when the landlady's creepy and increasingly persistent son, Frank (Martin Sheen), won't leave Rynn alone, she teams up with kindly neighbor boy Mario (Scott Jacoby) to maintain the dark family secret that she's been keeping to herself.
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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

Critics Reviews

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Melissa Anderson Village Voice 05/10/2016
Gessner's film may be for Foster completists only. But the intensity of her dead-eyed stare as the final credits scroll across her face reminds us of her preternatural ability, as a kid and beyond, to transform even the most negligible movie or scene ... Go to Full Review Gary Arnold Washington Post 12/21/2015
Director Nicholas Gessner is deft enough to keep "Little Girl" engrossing from start to finish, and he springs a few witty, creepy surprises. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 08/16/2023
This thirteen-year-old girl [Jodie Foster] is capable of expressing a complete catalog of emotions with the impassivity of a Sphinx. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine 02/08/2021
8/10
A mostly superb little thriller that sits uncomfortably between character-based drama and exploitation picture. Go to Full Review Eve Tushnet Patheos 01/23/2021
Foster is a huge standout...just a ferocious, iconic, convincing portrayal. She makes what could have felt like a mannered film instead feel raw. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 10/08/2020
3.5/5
A cult classic worthy of a wider following, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is ripe for rediscovery and features Jodie Foster in her first (and one of her best) lead performances. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ed . @RT01276001 Aug 29 A very enterprising young lady. Girlboss before the term was coined. See more nick s @Nick_S Aug 12 Wonderful acting by the entire cast. Incredibly compelling by a very young Foster. The storytelling was great and the pacing excellent. See more Charlize B @RT86903578 07/15/2025 Rynn as the "lillte girl" is very minded with her words, and knows how and when to lie on the spot, the movie does have tame horror scenes, but has parts that are worthly, to just stay and watched the whole thing. An glad she got rid of Mrs. Hallet, he's desgusting to even have kids of his own. See more Christina F @RT72116323 07/12/2025 It had some definite iconic moments but nothing that really worked up to what I was wanting, ending was subpar. Watched the movie and just thought to myself "well it was just alright." Wont ever know what the hype was all about.# See more Michael C @Movies121985 06/29/2025 Evil piece of crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Stephen C @bob25009 05/28/2025 1 hour and 31 minutes of solving mysteries. See more Read all reviews
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

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Cast & Crew

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Nicolas Gessner

Director

Jodie Foster

Rynn

Martin Sheen

Frank Hallet

Alexis Smith

Mrs. Hallet

Scott Jacoby

Mario

Mort Shuman

Miglioriti

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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Quiet, withdrawn 13-year-old Rynn Jacobs (Jodie Foster) lives peacefully in her home in a New England beach town. Whenever the prying landlady (Alexis Smith) inquires after Rynn's father, she politely claims that he's in the city on business. But when the landlady's creepy and increasingly persistent son, Frank (Martin Sheen), won't leave Rynn alone, she teams up with kindly neighbor boy Mario (Scott Jacoby) to maintain the dark family secret that she's been keeping to herself.
Director
Nicolas Gessner
Producer
Zev Braun
Screenwriter
Laird Koenig, Laird Koenig
Production Co
Zev Braun Productions, Carnelian Productions, Filmédis, Filmel, Braun Entertainment Group, ICL
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 22, 2018
Runtime
1h 31m