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The Perfect Neighbor

Play trailer Poster for The Perfect Neighbor R 2025 1h 36m Documentary Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 101 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida's "stand your ground" laws.
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The Perfect Neighbor

The Perfect Neighbor

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Critics Consensus

As gripping as it is deeply unsettling, The Perfect Neighbor lays bare the systemic failures and the quiet terror embedded in American legal systems with surgical precision.

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Critics Reviews

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Tim Cogshell FilmWeek (LAist) Nov 11, 2025
Extremely powerful and extremely important documentary filmmaking. Go to Full Review
Sam Adams Slate Nov 4, 2025
A chilling and provocative look at the limits of policing, particularly when the laws the police are called to enforce present more of a problem than a solution. Go to Full Review
Peter Travers The Travers Take Oct 31, 2025
3.5/4
Captured entirely from police cam footage, this Oscar-buzzed documentary about a white Florida woman who murders her Black neighbor indicts an entire society. It's also the scariest movie you’ll see this Halloween season. Go to Full Review
Clement Tyler Obropta Film Inquiry Aug 25, 2026
The true crime documentary is a grotesque art form that time and again has exploited victims, sensationalized brutality and violence, and valorized police officers. Go to Full Review
Lexi Amoriello Movie Recs by Lex Jul 10, 2026
The film refuses to let the audience look away and leaves viewers heartbroken, perturbed, and painfully aware of how much work still needs to be done, both in law enforcement and in society at large. Go to Full Review
Lee Zumpe Tampa Bay Newspapers Mar 22, 2026
It is an upsetting 97 minutes that needs to be seen. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Nathan S @RT17725032 22 hrs ago Fascinating and horrifying at the same time See more Marie C @Marie722 1 day ago Raw, real and demonstrates the power of racial injustice in our legal system and in our world. We have a long way to go… See more Jillian L @RT73310028 1 day ago This documentary was thrilling! Wondering what’s next at every scene was exciting. See more Moritz L @RT77344954 2 days ago The outcome of the case was just, but the way this "documentary" is directed by friends and family of the victim, and the way some of the police officers act and take sides without even trying to be neutral, is tragically bad and truly a hard watch. See more Nick E @Nick614e Sep 2, 2026 A powerful and well done documentary. My two criticisms are the exploitation of the children, although many would argue that overall, it’s a story that needs to be told and through law enforcement cams was an excellent approach. My other criticism is that ultimately, the project seemed to have a political agenda. Stating stats on "stand your ground" at the end when SYG appeared to have little to do with the story seemed self-serving. SYG has become a poster slogan for the left, but let’s be real, regardless of what a state calls self defense law, the bottom line will always be an evaluation on reasonable use of force. Shooting blind through a door will never hold up. In this case, justice was served. Lorincz was arrested within days, convicted and sentenced to just under the maximum. She’ll likely never see freedom again. If anything, this documentary illustrates that Florida laws and their criminal justice process are totally effective. See more Rob A @RT76386004 Aug 20, 2026 Sometimes it's best to simply move if you don't like the neighborhood. Here the racist, mentally unstable protagonist didn't - and it led to manslaughter. Also "stand your ground" laws give people the wrong idea; just call it the right to self defense for the sake of public safety. "Stand your ground" is just asking for trouble. This is doc is definitely worth a watch. See more Read all reviews
The Perfect Neighbor

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Movie Info

Synopsis A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida's "stand your ground" laws.
Director
Geeta Gandbhir
Producer
Nikon Kwantu, Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Message Pictures
Rating
R (Language)
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 10, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 17, 2025
Runtime
1h 36m
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