Neighborhood Watch (2025) is directed by Duncan Skiles and written by Sean Farley. It stars Jack Quaid, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Cecile Cubilo, Harrison Stone, Porsche Kemp, Griffin Hood, Tim Casper, Jim Klock, Janet Decker, and Billy Culbertson. The story follows Simon McNally (Quaid), a young man recently released from a psychiatric ward. As he struggles to leave his old, unstable life behind, he one day witnesses a kidnapping and sets out to save the victim by any means necessary. Because of his past, the authorities ignore Simon, which forces him to enlist the help of his no-nonsense, ex-security guard neighbor, Ed Deerman (Morgan). As the stakes of their investigation become more dangerous than they could’ve possibly predicted, Ed and Simon are forced to set aside their differences to become the unorthodox heroes their city needs.

Because the film fancies itself a classic buddy comedy, it relies heavily on the chemistry of its two leads. Thankfully, Quaid and Morgan are one of the most unexpectedly inspired duos I’ve seen in a long time. Their back and forths highlight the real-world tensions between boomers and millennials/Gen Z, but because they’re only used in the service of humor, they avoid feeling preachy. These two actors have great chemistry, but their characters’ friendship also displays a lot of heart. No matter how different Ed and Simon are or how often they disagree, it’s clear that they care for one another. Although flawed and strange, these are genuinely good people whose instinct is to help someone in need, no questions asked. This genre doesn’t particularly scream “heartwarming,” but heartwarming is precisely what this oddball movie is. It’s a story about rising to the occasion and proving people wrong – boy, does it succeed. 

Because most of the focus is relegated to Ed and Simon’s various zany exploits, the script doesn’t provide anything particularly complex or original plot-wise. This is easy to ignore when considering that most of the fun is sourced from the characters and their interactions, but there’s no doubt that a stronger story would’ve made this a cult classic. Instead, it’s just a pretty good buddy movie. 

The balance of tone is particularly impressive here. It’s funny, dark, heartwarming, and gritty, but somehow it works. Until the film’s end, these clashing tones create a sense of unpredictability. At any given moment, it’s tough to tell whether the film will maintain its current tone, become lighter, or devolve into tragedy. Even though the climax is something we’ve seen before, it feels like a genuine, wholly satisfying surprise in terms of tone. 

Overall, this is a pretty basic buddy-comedy crime thriller. However, the lead performances and the director’s strict command of unlike tones significantly elevate the material. Quaid and Morgan are one of the more entertaining duos I’ve seen in a while, but I wish the script had placed them in crazier scenarios more often. A lot of what they do is boring, and although the fun dialogue balances things, it’s clear that compelling character actions are precisely what the film is missing. That being said, the film feels like a mostly original experience and features an efficient 92-minute runtime that flies by in the best possible way. If you like either or both of these lead actors, check out Neighborhood Watch ASAP. It might just be this year’s hidden gem. B