The Perfect Neighbor – Review | Netflix

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR on Netflix is a new true crime documentary that essentially uses real-life found footage. It paints a terrifying picture of how people can feel so emboldened by privilege that they act in heinous ways. Read our full The Perfect Neighbor documentary review here!

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR is a new Netflix documentary in the true crime subgenre. This kind of true crime production is perhaps the purest form of documentary. It relies on footage shot as the events unfold, so it truly does document what happens.

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In that sense, this Netflix documentary could be called a found footage production. Everything we see comes from bodycams or interviews at the police station. A few clips from news programmes have been added, but that is it.

Continue reading our The Perfect Neighbor (2025) review below. Find it on Netflix now.

Not the perfect neighbor

With The Perfect Neighbor, it all revolves around one woman, who refers to herself as the perfect neighbor. In reality, she is the exact opposite. She’s the kind of person who has the police on speed dial and calls them over every little nuisance.

We’re talking dozens of 911 calls, and whenever the police show up, she is always the sweet lady who just wants peace. And she always leaves out her own actions.

However, as this Netflix documentary shows via bodycam footage, she does slip up once in a while. Like when she doesn’t realize that the police are knocking on her door (because, for once, she wasn’t the one to call them), and she angrily screams out through the sliding glass door.

In this otherwise close-knit neighborhood, life has turned into a nightmare after the one woman moved in. The police are also aware of the issues, as she calls them whenever children are playing near her house.

No doubt, the kids also have fun annoying her now and then (I certainly would have as a kid), but mostly, she’s just relentless in her harassment of kids having fun. Their mere existence irritates her, which is difficult to deal with, as they all live there.

Observe “The Karen” in full force

Watching Susan Lorincz try to explain why these kids are so terrible is a study of what a classic “Karen” truly is. She is always painting a picture of herself as a sweet and innocent bystander caught up in their harassment of her, when really, it’s the other way around.

As the police interview both her and the other families in the neighborhood, it becomes apparent that her “I want to speak with the manager” attitude is obvious to everyone. The police are not falling for her proverbial white lady tears.

Of course, she is never able to fully squeeze out any tears because she is never truly sad or scared. She just wants the world to be as she desires, and demands that everyone else try to fit in.

Admittedly, I was afraid she would get away with murder (or manslaughter) as it were, but this true crime documentary is, after all, about a true crime, so it is on record as a criminal activity.

Despite depending on (even planning on, I should say) Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law to protect her every action, she is punished for her malignant actions. You can read up on the killing of Ajike Owens here if you’d like more details.

Watch The Perfect Neighbor on Netflix now

The Perfect Neighbor was directed and produced by Geeta Gandbhir and executive produced by television journalist Soledad O’Brien. The victim, Ajike Owens, was the best friend of director Geeta Gandbhir’s sister-in-law. That’s how she became involved.

Many were concerned that Susan Lorincz would use Florida’s stand-your-ground law, so Geeta Gandbhir’s partner, and fellow producer, Nikon Kwantu, went to Florida and began filming early on.

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State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith is about an instance when “Stand Your Ground” should be implemented, but suddenly wasn’t applicaple >

The Perfect Neighbor is the Winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award, and it deserves this for multiple reasons. While I loved everything about the content of this Netflix documentary, and how it uses bodycam footage, it was a little longer than optimal.

That’s the only reason our rating isn’t higher, as this is a huge recommendation to watch.

Admittedly, I was nervous as I watched this documentary. Mostly because I did not know about the case or how it would turn out. Fortunately, the police did do their job and the evidence painted a very clear picture that did not match the perpetrator’s explanation.

Still, prepare to be on the edge of your seat in the final part of the documentary.

The Perfect Neighbor is out on Netflix from October 17, 2025.