‘Neighborhood Watch’ Review: Strong Characters, Slow Pace 

I was really hyped for Neighborhood Watch going in. Director Duncan Skiles previously helmed The Clovehitch Killer, which is one of my favorite horror films of the past 10 years. While the two films are worlds apart thematically, Neighborhood Watch is nonetheless a competently directed crime thriller with a capable cast. My chief complaint is that I wish that first-time screenwriter Sean Farley’s script took more risks and injected more tension in the first two acts. 

Neighborhood Watch follows Simon (Jack Quaid), a man constantly at war with his inner demons and a variety of mental health struggles. When Simon sees a woman forcibly abducted, he reports the ordeal to law enforcement, but the authorities check out his file and quickly discount his claims based on his history. Out of desperation, Simon approaches his retired security guard neighbor, Ed (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), for assistance. After a fair amount of resistance, Ed agrees to help Simon look into the abduction. The unlikely pair can barely stand each other at the onset, but as the case progresses, they develop a meaningful connection, something they both desperately need. 

The screenplay is the source of the film’s best and worst characteristics.

Both leads have a series of unique quirks that make each of them relatable and help the audience understand their unorthodox partnership. Morgan and Quaid each deliver strong showings that make their respective characters stand out when all is said and done. We see how each has been alienated by society—Simon for his struggles with mental health, and Ed for being older, out of touch, and more than a little bit cantankerous. It’s sweet to see them gradually grow on one another and eventually come together to support one another. 

With that said, I really wanted to see a little more action transpire in the first two acts. Simon and Ed’s investigation into the suspected abduction often moves at a glacial pace. The setup doesn’t foster much tension until roughly an hour into the ordeal. Frustratingly, the dynamic between the central pair doesn’t really begin to pay proper dividends until that point either. So, there’s all this build to an admittedly satisfying conclusion, which won me over in the end, but I really wish that the abduction storyline was tweaked to deliver more thrills in the film’s earlier moments. 

I was left wanting more mystery from Neighborhood Watch.

My other chief criticism is that the central mystery isn’t all that surprising. The beats in the case that Ed and Simon come together to investigate are by the numbers, rarely deviating from the standard formula. The relationship between the two goes a long way toward making up for the film’s shortcomings, but I couldn’t help thinking that a few tweaks to the screenplay would have improved the proceedings substantially. 

All things considered, Neighborhood Watch is a touching film worth checking out. Just make sure to temper your expectations because the picture’s pacing causes some issues during the first two acts, and the proceedings are almost entirely void of surprises.

If my cautious endorsement has you itching to seek out the flick, you can find Neighborhood Watch on VOD as of the publication of this post. 

Tags: Duncan Skiles Jack Quaid Jeffrey Dean Morgan Neighborhood Watch

Categorized:Reviews