In a 12 months filled with high-profile documentaries, The Excellent Neighbor on Netflix stands out as one of the haunting and talked-about entries of 2025.
Directed with unflinching precision and constructed nearly solely from police bodycam footage, this true-crime movie chronicles the tragic 2023 deadly taking pictures of Ajike “AJ” Owens by her neighbor Susan Lorincz in Florida. What begins as a seemingly mundane neighborhood dispute escalates right into a devastating examination of race, psychological well being, stand-your-ground legal guidelines, and systemic failures in policing.
Presently sitting at a near-perfect **99% Tomatometer** on Rotten Tomatoes and producing vital Oscar chatter—particularly within the Greatest Documentary Characteristic class—*The Excellent Neighbor* appears like important viewing in right now’s polarized local weather. However does it totally earn the hype, or does its relentless depth depart some questions unanswered?
What Works Brilliantly
The movie’s best power is its progressive use of present footage. By relying nearly completely on bodycam and safety recordings, the administrators create an immersive, nearly voyeuristic expertise that pulls you into the escalating stress. You witness the heat of Owens’ household life, the rising paranoia of Lorincz, and the irritating inaction of regulation enforcement in actual time. It is uncooked, instant, and sometimes insufferable—qualities which have critics calling it “extraordinarily highly effective” and “the scariest film you may see this 12 months.”
The modifying is masterful, constructing dread with out sensationalism. Moments of quiet group life distinction sharply with the chaos that follows, making the eventual tragedy hit even more durable. The documentary does not simply inform a narrative; it indicts broader societal points—racial bias, insufficient psychological well being intervention, and the damaging ambiguity of self-defense legal guidelines—with out ever feeling preachy.
This restraint and technical brilliance are precisely why Academy voters are taking discover. In a post-*American Symphony* and *20 Days in Mariupol* period, documentaries that innovate with kind whereas tackling pressing social points are inclined to rise to the highest of Oscar shortlists.
The place It Falls Quick
That stated, The Excellent Neighbor is not flawless. Some viewers have identified that the movie leans closely into one perspective, portraying Owens’ household sympathetically whereas giving much less nuance to the shooter’s documented psychological well being struggles or the position of parental supervision within the preliminary disputes. Whereas the footage naturally limits what could be proven, a couple of extra contextual interviews or professional insights might need supplied a deeper steadiness with out diluting the core message.
A portion of the viewers has additionally described the expertise as “infuriating” and “all-around pointless tragedy,” highlighting how everybody concerned—neighbors, mother and father, police—shares some accountability. These criticisms do not undermine the movie’s affect, however they do remind us that actual life not often gives clear heroes and villains.
Closing Verdict: Should-Watch Documentary of the 12 months?
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
*The Excellent Neighbor* is devastating, impeccably crafted, and undeniably vital. It is the form of documentary that lingers lengthy after the credit roll, forcing uncomfortable however vital conversations. With its crucial acclaim, progressive storytelling, and well timed themes, it has all of the components for a powerful Oscar run—doubtlessly touchdown nominations for Greatest Documentary Characteristic and even Greatest Enhancing.
Should you’re looking for the perfect Netflix documentaries of 2025 or need to keep forward of awards season, add this to your watchlist instantly. Simply be ready: it is not a straightforward watch, but it surely’s one you will not overlook.
