The Perfect Neighbor

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The Perfect Neighbor

R

2025

1h 36m

Documentary

Crime

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

99 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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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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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

Nov 11

Extremely powerful and extremely important documentary filmmaking.

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Sam Adams

Slate

Nov 4

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.

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Peter Travers

The Travers Take

Oct 31

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.

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Lee Zumpe

Tampa Bay Newspapers

Mar 22

It is an upsetting 97 minutes that needs to be seen.

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Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

Mar 22

the film’s point is not to center the victim or individuate the neighbors, but to say, "See, this lady who claims to be scared is actually terrorizing a neighborhood. Recognize her true face so you don’t become complicit now or in the future."

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Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

Mar 12

3.5/5

A gut-wrenching documentary that feels like a real-life horror movie. The editing keeps the film engaging throughout, though the shaky-cam shots can be a bit dizzying for those prone to motion sickness.

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cara T

@itsme-carat 6h

powerful documentary about racism and stand your ground laws. I truly believe that had it not been for the journalism and activism surrounding this case that she would have been cleared of the charges.

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Christian M

@chriss17eu 1d

Intriguing and deeply heartbreaking. I wasn’t expecting a found footage-style film at the Oscars, and that immediately caught me off guard in a good way. The first hour leaves me cold — not bored, just emotionally detached. But everything changes once the dramatic climax arrives. Suddenly, I’m fully invested in the moral and ethical debates Gandbhir presents, constantly questioning who is right and what I would do in that situation. By the end, the film completely wins me over. It’s effective, emotionally devastating, and never longer or denser than it needs to be. Out of all the nominated documentaries, this was easily my favorite.

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Curtis T.

@barncarpet 3d

It was a truly genuine and emotional experience.

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B G.

@GoodTimeGranny 3d

Engaging, if not disturbing, from start to to finish.

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JoeR D.

@Daisan 5d

Intense and emotional. Well-made documentary.

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Magdalene R

@Magdalenezabinski 5d

I appreciated the storytelling displayed through the body/dashcam footage; however, I do not believe this documentary lived up to the expectations set by the outstanding reviews. It was a good documentary with a good message, but I wouldn't say it was an amazing movie.

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Geeta Gandbhir

Director

Nikon Kwantu

Producer

Geeta Gandbhir

Producer

Alisa Payne

Producer

Sam Bisbee

Producer

Sam Pollard

Executive Producer

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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