La Voisine idéale

Unlike many documentaries, this movie does not have a narrator. The story is shown almost entirely through bodycam footage and police interviews, allowing you to form your own opinions and narrative. I found it extremely impactful and thought provoking. I was brought to tears on several occasions.

I'm still thinking about it hours later.

My stomach dropped. It was raw and gripping. This film was a well-constructed way of bringing this hard subject matter to light. The body-cam footage really helped show the timeline of the events and the responses as they happened. But it was the reactions of the immediate aftermath that hurt my heart. Truly wishing love and healing for the family.

I can completely understand how an older woman on her own could feel harassed under these circumstances.

Then you add in Florida's relaxed gun laws and "Stand Your Ground" and if a dispute between neighbours gets to escalate, then you have a potentially devastating outcome.

Here in the UK, people fence in their properties so boundaries are clear; in most areas kids do not get to run wild in the street; - if there's a backyard they can do whatever they like, but out in front in public areas there are limits, other people should be respected.

The police didn't take their initial visits nearly serious enough and appeared to side with the families over the road. Professional policing has to be impartial, and any body language not capable of misinterpretation as kids in particular are very quick to spot and interpret positive or negative behaviour.

People very quick here to blame the solitary woman as a monster; always 2 sides to any dispute.

It's completely baffling seeing people here try to defend a crazy old woman that murdered someone in cold blood over something so petty as a some noise. A completely derranged and disgusting human being that should have been behind bars (either in prison or in an asylum).

As if it was already difficult enough to have any hope left for humanity.

This is a tragedy that could have been avoided. The police had two years of first hand experience to clearly determine a pattern of mental distress and paranoia with this woman. She repeatedly displayed that she admittedly contradicted herself and said I may have done that but I don't recall. She amplified and exaggerated the situation with local kids. She was sick.

Then they hear that she may have a hun? RED FLAG, RED FLAG! Immediately they should have investigated, do you own a gun, do you have a license, is the gun registered. No, they just blew it off as run of the mill, almost humorous routine domestic calls.

Then after the fact, the detectives seem to get serious, but too late. A mental health crisis that was sadly ignored!