Netflix’s Top Movie Right Now Is Bone Chilling — And Has Nothing to Do With Halloween

Netflix’s bone-chilling new crime documentary is topping the charts worldwide.

The Perfect Neighbor, which premiered on the streamer on Oct. 17, has hit No. 1 on Netflix’s movie charts in the U.S. just four days after its release. The documentary is also charting internationally, reaching No. 2 on the worldwide charts as of Tuesday.

From filmmakers Geeta Gandbhir and Nikon Kwantu, The Perfect Neighbor tells the story of Ajike “AJ” Owens, a beloved 35-year-old mother of four, who was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, in 2023 over a seemingly minor dispute in a neighborhood plagued by prejudice.

The documentary has chilling firsthand footage of the escalation of tensions between Lorincz and her neighbors, as it is told almost entirely through police body camera footage.

Lorincz, who claimed that she feared for her life when shooting Owens through her door, is currently serving out a 25-year prison sentence after being found guilty of manslaughter in 2024.

“This shocking crime left my family and me engulfed in grief and confusion,” Gandbhir told Netflix of the inspiration behind The Perfect Neighbor. “Ajike’s community was tight-knit, rooted in mutual support and trust. It was heartbreaking to witness how such a close environment could unravel so catastrophically.”

Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, was a supporter of the film from the early stages of, saying that she hoped it could honor her daughter’s life and turn her grief into purpose. “I feel my call to duty, I’m carrying on her spirit,” she told Netflix. “Through the film and the Standing In the Gap Fund [a family-led effort that responds to race-based violence by easing financial burdens and supporting community-rooted healing], I believe we raised the awareness about the need for greater understanding, for empathy and community precision as a vehicle to ultimately and hopefully prevent similar incidents from happening. It’s advocating for more compassion in the world, something that we really need in these dark times.”

The Perfect Neighbor is streaming now on Netflix.