The Perfect Neighbor

Started good and actually similar thing happened to me. I have a problematic neighbor and once, he insulted my mother when they were outside, then when he returned he banged on our door and this is when I said enough was enough. I got furious, went outside and started banging on his door and telling him to come out and face me like a man to man. He didn't. But in this documentary, that problematic neighbor shot the door banger neighbor. Anyway, back to the documentary... Like I said it started good and was interesting and I was going to give it a big ratings, but as always they turned this documentary into a race thing, especially at the end when they said how many "whites are killing blacks" and then this moron democratic politician Sharpton... Unbelievable how they always turn everything into a race conflict and always, I repeat ALWAYS make us - whites bad. What happened here had absolutely nothing with race. As a punishment I give this show 1/10. Next time, try to be objective and focus on actual story instead of your hateful race propaganda!

This is likely to be seen as an unpopular assessment, for a variety of reasons and regardless of where one stands on the issues presented in this release. Director Geeta Gandbhir’s Netflix documentary examines the question of using potentially fatal force for self-protection under controversial state statutes known as Stand Your Ground laws. In particular, the film explores a 2023 case in Marion County, Florida in which resident Susan Lorincz shot and killed neighbor Ajike Owens by firing at her through the closed and locked front door of her home after claiming that she feared for her life when the victim allegedly began pounding angrily and relentlessly on the entrance to the structure. According to Lorincz, the incident – one in a long series of altercations with local residents in which she had complained to authorities of repeated trespassing and harassment (mostly by neighborhood children and despite signs warning of no trespassing on her property) – was the result of a purported panic response, primarily driven by traumatic experiences from her past that had left an indelible mark on her for years afterward. The neighbors, however, contended that this incident, as well as those that preceded it, were cases of reaction overreach, this time with deadly consequences. In telling this story, the filmmaker employs a unique approach, relying almost exclusively on law enforcement body cam footage recorded during visits to Lorincz’s residence at the time of reported incidents, supplemented by televised news reports and interrogation video taken when the perpetrator was taken into custody for questioning. This material was thus designed to give viewers an actual “you are there” feel to the storytelling (even if it occasionally plays like an episode of "COPS") rather than resorting to the interpretations of analysts and pundits who may have had their own agendas to carry out. However, no matter how fair-minded that narrative decision might be, it should be noted that this on-the-ground footage, like all other recorded material, can also be edited (evidenced here by some occasionally choppy cuts in the footage). And, as this offering plays out, one can’t help but get the sense that viewers are not necessarily being told the entire story from both sides. No matter how authentic this material might come across, it nevertheless feels potentially incomplete (such as where references to Lorincz’s history of trauma is concerned), despite the inclusion of otherwise-seemingly conclusive video evidence, material that, at least superficially, would appear to leave little to chance. That’s important to bear in mind in light of the documentary’s apparent intent of providing its audience with a teachable moment about the merits, ethics and employment of Stand Your Ground laws. What’s more, the depiction of the gut-wrenching grief of the Owens family in response to their loss is undeniably powerful, revelatory and moving, but at times it also has a certain exploitative and overly intrusive quality to it. The same could be said of Lorincz’s responses to her interrogation sessions, which go on longer than genuinely seems necessary. This is not to suggest that the behavior on display in these moments can or should be condoned – in some regards, from all parties connected to this scenario, including those associated with some of the content choices of the filmmaker – because there truly are no winners in this situation. Indeed, it’s a horrendous tragedy all the way around, a story that never should have had to have been told in the first place, the production’s Independent Spirit Award nomination for best documentary notwithstanding. I suppose it’s nevertheless something that ultimately had to see the light of day; it’s just a shame that it had to happen that way.