Netflix’s latest documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, represents a significant shift in the streaming service’s approach to true crime storytelling. Released following its debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest, the film takes a more thoughtful approach compared to previous hits like Tiger King and Making a Murderer, which often leaned heavily on sensationalism. This documentary forgoes shock value in favor of a nuanced exploration of a tragic event, challenging viewers to engage with its deeper themes.
A Gripping Examination of a Local Tragedy
Set in Ocala, Florida, The Perfect Neighbor chronicles the escalating tensions between Susan Lorincz, a white woman, and her predominantly Black neighbors, culminating in the tragic death of Ajike Owens. The film presents a timeline of Lorincz’s complaints to local authorities about children playing in an empty lot adjacent to her home. Despite police confirming that she did not own the land and that other residents had no issues with the children, Lorincz’s accusations intensified. The situation reached a devastating climax when she fatally shot Owens, a mother of several children she had previously complained about.
Director Geeta Gandbhir employs a restrained, observational style, allowing the raw footage collected from surveillance cameras and police body cameras to tell the story. The documentary opens with the immediate aftermath of the shooting, unfolding chronologically without the typical sensational editing or commentary often found in the genre. This choice immerses viewers in the reality of the neighborhood and allows the tragedy to resonate without manipulation.
Resisting Sensationalism
Unlike many true crime narratives that sensationalize their subjects, The Perfect Neighbor prioritizes the community’s experience over the sensationalized portrayal of Lorincz. Rather than framing her as a chaotic figure, the film keeps her presence peripheral, focusing instead on the local families affected by the violence. Gandbhir’s decision to highlight the community’s reaction to Owens’s death, captured in unguarded moments, emphasizes the real human cost of the incident.
The documentary avoids the conventional true crime finale that usually centers on the perpetrator, instead concluding with a poignant memorial service for Owens. This choice shifts the focus back to the victims and their families, reinforcing the film’s commitment to dignity and empathy. The absence of a dramatic trial scene, left to the end credits, further distances the narrative from sensationalism.
While the film reflects on Florida’s controversial Stand Your Ground laws, which Lorincz cited in her defense, it does so organically, allowing the topic to arise through police questioning and courtroom footage rather than overt commentary. The result is a powerful portrayal of how deeply ingrained prejudices can escalate into violence, without resorting to polemics.
A Shift in Netflix’s True Crime Philosophy
The release of The Perfect Neighbor signals a potentially transformative moment for Netflix, known for its trend of producing binge-worthy but often ethically questionable true crime content. Previous projects like Don’t F**k With Cats and The Tinder Swindler exemplified a pattern of turning real-life suffering into entertainment through dramatic storytelling techniques. Critics have increasingly raised concerns about the ethical implications of such portrayals.
The subdued marketing and limited theatrical release of The Perfect Neighbor suggest a confidence in its integrity rather than a reliance on virality. Audience reception and critical acclaim indicate a growing appetite for more thoughtful and meaningful narratives in the true crime genre. By focusing on systemic issues such as racism and the consequences of flawed legislation, the documentary illustrates that true crime can serve as a vehicle for social commentary without exploiting its subjects.
As Netflix continues to release hundreds of films annually, the success of The Perfect Neighbor may inspire a reevaluation of the narratives that the platform prioritizes. Gandbhir’s film stands out as one of the streaming service’s most humane documentaries, offering an unflinching examination of everyday prejudice that can escalate into tragedy. By choosing empathy over exploitation, it demonstrates that the quietest narratives often resonate the loudest.
