American Murder: The Family Next Door

An actual family tragedy that the world saw develop, and filmmaker Jenny Popplewell revisited the case in 2020's American Murder: The Family Next Door, owing to social media. Shanann Watts, who was pregnant at the time of her death, and her two children, Bella and Celeste, are the subjects of the film. The video examines archive footage from Shanann's Facebook page as well as interviews with people who knew the family well to tell the story of the three victims' disappearance.

This video is a rollercoaster trip of the case's most stunning disclosures, filled with interrogation footage of the murder's key suspect, Shanann's husband Chris. Despite the fact that the supposed killer is examined directly in front of our eyes, the audience is left wondering about the perpetrator until the film's concluding moments. When it comes to real crime, this tragic narrative and subject matter are Netflix's bread and butter, and Popplewell creates an enticing—if not always readily digestible—a film that fits nicely within the genre.

Detailed information:

Genre: True Crime, Documentary

Directed by: Jenny Popplewell
Produced by: James Marsh

Original release: September 30, 2020

Link to watch: https://www.netflix.com/title/81130130