A Killer Next Door released on 21 July 2020. The movie stars Jason Gregg, Nigel Barber, Derek Nelson, Harriet Rees, and Tessa Wood alongside other cast members. Directed by Andrew Jones, the film is a crime-thriller.
The movie is based on the true story of John List, who killed his wife, mother and three children in their home in New Jersey, and then disappeared without a trace. Eighteen years later, in a small town in Virginia, Stephanie Hancock is confined to her home recovering from a broken leg. To pass the time she spies on her neighbours and begins to suspect that one of them, Bob Clark, is actually John List.
In The Name Of God, Thou Shall Sin
A Killer Next Door started like a perfect thriller, a man with a straight face getting all set for work while his wife lies dead on the floor along with the entire family. Yes, the beginning did shock me.
But as the movie progressed, it became more and more boring and predictable. Honestly, throughout the film, I could just say what was gonna happen next like a sorcerer and it did happen!
Undeniably, the movie has a good theme – people killing on the name on god saying religion, and God shall save the dead. But again it isn’t something very new or not presented in a new way! The movie moves on the same line with no curve whatsoever.
When I read that the film is based on a true story, I was excited since true-crime stories are interesting! What caused the person to turn bad, who encouraged him and more but A Killer Next Door fails big time. The 90-minute duration of the film is difficult to endure!
William Meredith plays his role well but with a not-so-convincing storyline, there’s not much he can do. While cops are supposed to be super determined in a crime film like this, it does not happen in A Killer Next Door.
Stream It or Skip It
SKIP IT! The movie has its own share of flaws and predictability that lasts throughout the film. While you might say predictability is not the only problem, the film is also a pale try at representing a true-crime story. If you’re planning to watch it – STOP!
Summing it up in few lines: A young girl begins to suspect that her neighbor on a quiet suburban street is fugitive family killer John List.
Watch A Killer Next Door here.
Read our other reviews here.
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This is a bad movie. I’d had enough after about 10 minutes. I know the List case so the first alarm bell sounded early. A man dressed in a work uniform is in the kitchen of a house obviously in Britain (a stand in for Virgina) and the stove in it is worth thousands, not something a man in uniform could afford. Obviously the production crew was not interested in authenticity.