The Perfect Neighbor (2025)
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A documentary exploring the escalating neighborhood disputes and systemic legal issues surrounding a fatal shooting in Florida.
The story
The Perfect Neighbor is a documentary that chronicles the events leading up to and following a fatal shooting on June 2, 2023, in Ocala, Florida. The film follows the escalating neighborhood disputes between a white woman, Susan Louise Lorincz, and her black neighbor, Ajike Owens. Utilizing primarily pre-existing police footage, including bodycams and 911 calls, the film tracks the progression of the conflict from initial complaints to the tragic incident. It serves as a critical examination of the circumstances surrounding the death and the application of Florida's stand-your-ground laws.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows the chronological escalation of a dispute between neighbors Susan Louise Lorincz and Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida. Using bodycam footage, the film documents multiple instances of police intervention, including calls from Lorincz in 2022 and 2023, a 2023 incident involving an auto repair shop, and a visit to the Sheriff's Office in May 2023. These tensions culminated on June 2, 2023, when Lorincz fatally shot Owens. The narrative continues through the aftermath, including Lorincz's questioning by detectives and her subsequent conviction for manslaughter and other charges. The film specifically highlights the systemic issues regarding the stand-your-ground laws in Florida.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 97
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Geeta Gandbhir
- Genres
- documentary; crime
- Themes
- Systemic bias; Stand-your-ground laws; Community impact
- Tone and mood
- harrowing; visceral
- Premise and plot tags
- True Crime; Documentary; Legal System
- Reception
- The film received widespread acclaim for its production, direction, and editing, as well as its exploration of the circumstances surrounding the death and related legal issues.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 83 · scale: 100 · review count: 21
- Production trivia
- A portion of the Netflix licensing fee was directed to a fund for the victim's family.; The film was reported to be the most-watched movie in the U.S. on Netflix within days of its release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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