The 2025 thriller Neighborhood Watch ends on the line “All this for us? Colour me flattered.” A fitting end for an edge of your seat thriller with two brilliant stars. Director Duncan Skiles follows Sean Farley‘s script with attention to detail and a love for the subject.
Neighborhood Watch features an unlikely team of rescuers. A retired old security guard whose health is failing and a younger man with mental issues. Two protagonists who do not fit the mold of hero easily.
The story
Kevin suffers from a mental illness. He sees a young woman being abducted in an alley. He seeks help from the authorities. His discordant behaviour results in said authorities not believing him. He goes to his neighbor for help. Ed, the neighbor, is not keen on helping Kevin initially.
The two form an unlikely alliance and start searching for the girl and the kidnapper. Thus begins the tale of Neighborhood Watch.
The main cast
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is Ed Deerman.
Jack Quaid is Simon McNally.
Malin Akerman is DeeDee McNally.
Cecile Cubiló is Detective Glover.
No Small Parts
The young actor in the scene with Ed and his former boss in the Security Office shines. I could not find a link to her name but she completely sold her part. After hearing about the “dry-humping” allegations Ed puts out, she moves away, smile changing to an almost frozen half-smile. Brilliant bit of acting here in a non speaking role. Well done mate.
Neighborhood Watch Behind the Scenes (BTS)
Skiles allows the two lead actors, Quaid and Morgan to fill the shoes of their characters with authenticity and love. Everything about this one works. From DP Luke McCoubrey and film editor Cody Joel tag teaming each frame to the stunts hitting like clockwork.
Nils Allen Stewart as stunt coordinator gives us fights and stunts that are low-key perfect. They fit the story like a glove.
It works
Neighborhood Watch works. We care about the characters and the story. Each of the protagonist groups, like Simon’s sister, exude a certain truth. Ed and Simon both learning how to interact as a team and pretending to be cops, is superb.
The atmosphere is brilliant here. Menace, when it appears, does so at a level that is so low key we miss it at first. As we realise that the bad guy has appeared, we are genuinely fearful for our reluctant heroes.
The verdict
Neighborhood Watch is a solid 5 star film. Watching Simon’s journey to hero, along with Ed’s trip to self justification is rewarding on so many levels. Quaid and Morgan make a good team.
These two have worked together before. In Rampage they share billing but I do not remember them being on screen together.
This is streaming on AMC plus right now. Head on over and check this one out. Pop a bowl of corn, grab the beverage of your choice and kick back. This is solid entertainment worth watching.
the trailer
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