Hailed by critics as "gripping," "powerful," and "revolutionary," the new documentary "The Perfect Neighbor" is exactly the sort of film that has the ability to change the audience's perception of Netflix's true crime content. Unfortunately, Netflix has developed a reputation for producing glossy, sometimes exploitative true crime films and shows that mainly feature talking heads recounting stories. "The Perfect Neighbor," on the other hand, presents a startlingly urgent tale of racism, gun violence, and systemic failure using a blazingly original technique, significantly elevating the genre.

The movie appears to be striking a chord with audiences as well; on its first day of release, it managed to crack Netflix's global top 10 charts. According to FlixPatrol, "The Perfect Neighbor" was Netflix's third-most-watched movie on October 18, ahead of the streamer's most-watched original ever, "KPop Demon Hunters." The leader board was topped by the mystery movie "The Woman in Cabin 10," starring Keira Knightley.

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, "The Perfect Neighbor" debuted at this year's Sundance Film Festival, where Gandbhir won the documentary directing award. Netflix picked it up for a reported $5 million. The taut film is presented almost entirely through police bodycam footage, filmed over a couple of years in a Florida suburb. The story begins with a seemingly routine 911 call by a middle-aged woman named Susan, who has issues with her neighbors' children. She doesn't want them on or around her property and claims that they are deliberately bothering her. The children's parents, on the other hand, are united in their opinion of Susan, whom they believe is provoking the kids. Over the next few months, Susan makes repeated complaints to the sheriff's office. The story ends tragically, exploring the deadly escalation of a neighborly dispute and the implications of Florida's controversial "stand your ground" laws amidst the unfolding drama.

"The Perfect Neighbor" is the rare movie to hold a perfect 100% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "As gripping as it is deeply unsettling, The Perfect Neighbor lays bare the systemic failures and the quiet terror embedded in American legal systems with surgical precision." In her review, Collider's Emma Kiely urged readers to watch the film, describing it as "one of the most compelling documents of how inherently dangerous it is for Black people to exist in America today." The documentary, with a runtime of 97 minutes, is currently streaming on Netflix.