The original post: /r/movies by /u/Few_Art_1651 on 2024-12-27 00:17:45.
After rewatching The Boys Next Door (1985) with Charlie Sheen and Maxwell Caulfield on Tubi, some thoughts came to mind. I think the reason Roy (Maxwell Caulfield) kills the girls Bo (Charlie Sheen) falls in love with is that he’s jealous of Bo. Roy sees Bo falling in love and building a future, something Roy doesn’t believe he can have. Both the arcade girl and the bar girl fall for Bo, but Roy likely kills them out of pure jealousy. Essentially, Bo seems to have a brighter future and a more loving family than Roy. While we don’t get to see much of Bo's family, we know his grandfather gives him $200 for graduation, and Bo doesn’t mind working at the factory because he just wants to find a girl, fall in love, marry, and have children. Roy, on the other hand, views this "normal" life as oppressive.
In contrast, Roy’s family is neglectful. His dad, living in a trailer, is glued to the TV and doesn’t even acknowledge Roy’s departure—he doesn’t say goodbye. This suggests Roy was ignored during his childhood, possibly abused or mistreated. Bo, however, came from a family that most likely gave him attention, even if he seemed awkward at times (like at the pool party). In my theory, this is because Bo picked the wrong friend in high school. Unlike Roy, who thrives on conflict, Bo tries to avoid it. For instance, when Bo is at the gay bar, he has no intention of visiting the house of the man who later gets killed. Roy, however, vents his frustrations to the man and ends up killing him.
Another thing I noticed is that Bo, unlike Roy, wants to have a good time in Los Angeles. He wants to visit places like Beverly Hills and Hollywood even though he doesn't, using the trip as a time to relax before returning to work. During the film, Bo even manages to get an autograph from Bonnie, the girl he has a crush on. I think that if Bo weren’t friends with Roy, he could have potentially been Bonnie’s boyfriend.
In the end, when they are at the mall and Bo suggests they turn themselves in, Roy refuses. My guess is that Roy is afraid of facing the consequences of his actions in prison. Roy knows that in prison, he won’t be the "strong man" anymore, as there will be others who are bigger and tougher than him, and he’ll feel powerless. When Bo kills Roy, you can see the regret in his eyes. Even though Roy was his best friend, Bo knew he had to do what was right because Roy could no longer control himself and had become a danger to everyone, including himself.
Let me know what you guys think of my analysis of the movie and any theories you may have as to what mental illness Roy had.