2025 continues to be the year of Jack Quaid. After two leading roles in horror/sci-fi Companion and high octane action/comedy Novocaine, Quaid transitions over to crime/thriller territory playing opposite The Walking Dead‘s Jeffrey Dean Morgan in Neighborhood Watch. This unlikely pairing works well, charging what is, for all intents and purposes, a rather basic storyline on paper. Quaid’s disheveled, mentally unstable loner seeks help from his neighbor, a grizzled and grumpy retired security guard. The film functions solely off the backs of their performances, especially Quaid, who shows a different side to his acting range. Neighborhood Watch leans into the psychological aspect of the story, but forgets to be thrilling in the process. Still, there should be plenty to enjoy here, especially for fans of either actor.
Simon (Quaid) hasn’t been able to get a job for over a decade. Probably for good reason—Simon cannot stifle the voices in his head for long enough to even make it through a job interview, let alone a full shift at work. Thankfully he has sister, Deedee (Malin Åkerman, Watchmen, The Heartbreak Kid), to support him at home. One day, when walking back from an appointment with his doctor, Simon witnesses a kidnapping in an alleyway. A blonde woman gets smacked around and carted off in a white van, at the mercy of some greasy-looking man with a blurry face.
Thus, Simon ends up on the doorstep of his neighbor, Ed (Morgan), hopeful that he will, at the very least, be willing to drive Simon to the police station. Ed carries his own sets of biases about Simon, referring to him by derogatory nicknames and insisting he belongs in a “cracker factory.” Ed may still be Simon’s one true hope for getting some answers—the police don’t seem too convinced that a kidnapping even occurred, despite Simon’s recalling of a plate number and specifics of the incident. Utilizing his own resources and a unique skillet, Ed’s value may mean the difference between solving the disappearance and letting it die.
Direction from Duncan Skiles (The Fuzz, The Clovehitch Killer) definitely leaves room for improvement. In telling this story, the lack of style keeps it from evolving from a basic mid-range thriller. Most scenes are visually bland, lacking the dynamic cinematography that could have elevated the tension. The script probably does not help in this facet either though—Simon and Ed hop from one house or locale to the next without much variation. The stakes feel low enough that any sense of danger fails to properly bite. Simon and Ed casually go about their day while an unknown woman’s life supposedly hangs in the balance—where is any sense of urgency? Despite the hallucination subplot, Simon’s fractured mind does not play into the overarching narrative much at all.
Despite an array of shortcomings, the actors are still strong enough to recommend a watch. Quaid plays a fascinating flawed protagonist in his own signature style, wonderfully vibrating off Morgan’s usual Negan-esque energy. The setup too is quite strong as the film takes time acquainting us to Simon’s condition before thrusting him down the alleyway trajectory. Simon’s paranoia and unreliable narration make for a few eerie moments, particularly when he sees distorted figures or hallucinates insults about himself. The run-down neighborhood, alleyways, and shady dealings also create a decent backdrop for a crime thriller. A pair of yin-yang performances continue a banner year for Jack Quaid in slight but entertaining Neighborhood Watch.
Go on a ride along with the Neighborhood Watch, kicking down doors in theaters and On Demand on Friday, April 25th.
Enjoyed the film, two great leads