I'm enjoying it but I loved those neighbors. It's a dark story but there's something so sweet and sincere about them.
45 Reviews
The Neighbor couple were the best
rachelaliv1124 March 2019
Both sides
markanthonypowell24 February 2019
It's amazing to watch this as an adult. As a kid I saw bits on the news, but never the whole picture of her abuse. After the trials you heard his torrid stories. This show you get the whole picture. You see where they are now and that she's grown as a person, and he's still clearly not.
Informative
butterfly-1060716 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Pretty decent documentary, I did not really know her side of the story and I feel for her and what she went through. John should have spent some time in a hospital being evaluated, guy has serious issues. His true colors came to light during the last episode. I really could have done without the ridiculous political jabs that most every documentary lately has to bring up, lets blame Trump and the Republicans. I would have given a higher rating had it not been for that.
Knowing is knowlege
pietclausen27 February 2019
This comprehensive documentary throws a lot of light on the circumstances of this infamous event. Yes, most people knew what had happened and I like many others in those days, gave it a superficial overview and made up our minds who was guilty. Full stop.
Now many years later and really beginning to understand the many facets of this complex story, I have come to a different conclusion. John Wayne Bobbitt was no angel, but an abuser and liar, yet also a victim, but not because of Lorena's action. He had also been abused in childhood. Lorena committed a crime, but under the circumstances, perhaps not in control of her own free will.
I am glad to have watched this show, with actual video recordings of the trials. A real eye opener, giving food for thought. There were no winners, only losers. We have all done annoying things in our youth, but with age you may become wiser.
Now many years later and really beginning to understand the many facets of this complex story, I have come to a different conclusion. John Wayne Bobbitt was no angel, but an abuser and liar, yet also a victim, but not because of Lorena's action. He had also been abused in childhood. Lorena committed a crime, but under the circumstances, perhaps not in control of her own free will.
I am glad to have watched this show, with actual video recordings of the trials. A real eye opener, giving food for thought. There were no winners, only losers. We have all done annoying things in our youth, but with age you may become wiser.
You need to watch the whole thing....
ksdilauri16 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
.....because, if you're like me, you may begin to make your mind up too early on. It would be a mistake not to watch all the episodes. Being a guy, I had some reservations: why didn't Lorena just up and leave John if he was such a jerk? And apparently, she'd gotten into trouble for embezzling at her job. "Hmm---no angel", sez I to myself. I nearly stopped watching partway through, figuring it would just end up as a frustrating "She said, He said" kind of thing. But I changed my mind as it showed more evidence of why Lorena did what she did. The witnesses who testified in her behalf are very credible, and the clips of the trial help clarify the highly-charged issues. Slicing her husband was wrong, sure. But when someone has been repeatedly traumatized, is it any surprise when they snap? That final snap need not be a loud, public, knock-down, drag out brawl. It can also be a quiet trip to the kitchen for a glass of water, seeing a knife on the counter, and "CLICK".
(Forgive an old quote, but "Kick a dog enough times, and you're gonna get bitten.") John apparently gained no wisdom from the experience, as evidenced by his astonishingly foolish lifestyle after the trial. It's sickening and sad at the same time. In the closing episode, if he's telling the truth about his childhood, it would explain why he became the unstable, violent man that he is---but the outcome remains the same. Both he and Lorena should have gotten serious help sooner. This is a must-watch for those who are caught up in domestic abuse issues.
Okay okayish for One time watch
rupalipawar-820632 October 2021
It was kind of boring and repetitive with some random stupid opinions of politically influenced people it seems. These comments seemed irrelevant and could have been avoided to make it of better quality. I am not American, neither I know more about politics there but still I could tell the documentary is politically motivated.
I feel sorry for the victims of the domestic violence, I have witnessed it very closely. I wish all people should treat others like the way they would like to get treated.
I feel sorry for the victims of the domestic violence, I have witnessed it very closely. I wish all people should treat others like the way they would like to get treated.
You THINK you know.....
potatoangel-5508916 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Like a lot of people, I followed this case and read about it in the papers when it was happening. But what I remember most was he was found innocent. To me, that meant she was guilty. There is much more to the story. Much more. Lorena's testimony is riveting. It nearly had me in tears. And John's subsequent revolting behavior toward women eventually prove her testimony to be true. That he is a psychopath who is sadistic to his young wife and ultimately sadistic to other women comes through loud and clear. She never denied mutilating him. She was tried by a jury of her peers. She completed the sentence handed down by the court. Not sure why all the hate. To those who are using the "uberliberal agenda" and other such buzzwords to excuse the horrific domestic violence this woman endured (and getting upvotes for it I might add), boo hooing because a tiny percentage of women lie, you shame the women in your life.
Well done. Just recognize the bias.
jennijune-18-26852914 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Excellent telling of her story. I definitely ache for Lorena. I could have done without the obvious political agenda throughout. However, I could see it and look past it. (Most obvious and obnoxious in the last episode.) I find it very telling that the forced abortion was not fully explored. There is no doubt that such a trauma contributed greatly to her mental state. But acknowledging that on the show would have gone contrary to the political agenda of the activists represented in the show.
FINALY, this guy was exposed for the abusive lowlife that he is
navyservant-2454915 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I, as a retired Navy veteran, am troubled that this guy was a marine, but am also NOT surprised whatsoever that there are blind, ignorant human beings in this film that actually stated that she could have easily walked away from ll the abuse she took. She went countless times to the police, and this film clearly shows that it was ineffective because he clearly kept abusing her, yet one person here reviewed the series and actual stated that there was no proof. NO PROOF??? Pappy, they CLEARLY showed the evidence quite effectively in this well done account. I like the footage more than the biased male morons in the film that backed this POS human being. This story NEEDED to be told, to future generations, to change laws, change minds, to expose abusers, and to understand that she was pushed beyond any rational way out. He stole that from her and she finally took enough action to save her life. In conclusion, this was well documented and made, unbiassed but crucial. Both sides represented. You be the judge.
Notorious true-crime case
bradm-0197923 April 2019
Docuseries on Lorena Bobbitt on the story we thought we knew. It gets better as it goes along. Gives us a pretty in-depth look into the case surrounding the infamous evening and even dives into what happens after. The show is informative and is watchable from start to finish.
Anyone Who Doesn't Find This Entertaining
simpson815 February 2019
...is a hater plain and simple. The way it's edited is comedic gold. Is it good TV? I mean...that's subjective. Is it a waste of your time if you have more important things to watch? Maybe. Is it a waste of your time if you've been flipping between Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix looking for something watchable? No. It's great. You should watch it
Surprising and Intelligent
ginaatkins21 March 2019
We all know about the severed organ.....I was a teenager when the story broke and the sensationalism surrounding it simply CAN'T be overstated. What this series manages to do is not an easy feat....the actual ORGAN becomes the least interesting part of the story. This series explores a lot of issues which are sadly just as relevant as they were in 1993. We get an in depth look into the characters of John and Lorena and are given ample information to draw conclusions without ever being TOLD what conclusions to draw. John Bobbitt is a brute with a long, documented record of abuse against women. He is NOT an intelligent or insightful person, yet I wasn't totally devoid of sympathy for him. Lorena on the other hand is thoughtful and purposeful and has turned her life into a meaningful one, yet I still have a nagging suspicion that she was TOTALLY lucid when she did the deed. In short, this is not a story of good vs evil....it is much more nuanced. Even in todays day and age rife with mass shootings and hate crimes I suspect that this same crime would be just as newsworthy as it was in 1993. One of the Escorts at the Bunny Ranch said the most poignant quote in the entire series...."You have hundreds of female circumcisions every day in Africa but one man gets his P*N&S severed and the world comes to a screeching halt"
Comprehensive doc about a salacious scandal
fischer_patrick17 April 2022
This is a good documentary series. It is one of the most comprehensive documentaries about a single event I have ever seen. Four almost feature length episodes tell the complete story of one of the 1990's most salacious scandals. Expertly edited with present day interviews, archival news footage and interviews, and archival courtroom footage. This series tells more than the story of John and Lorena Bobbitt. It is an expose on the epidemic of domestic violence in America and also an examination of how the media responds to such stories. My only complaint about the series is that it was almost too comprehensive. It was a lot to get through. I probably would have enjoyed a two hour feature than four 1 hour episodes. That being said, it is a well done film.
Disgusting Double Standard
amanda-8879813 November 2022
Just 15 minutes into this "documentary" I was so disgusted by how everyone interviewed, from Lorena to law enforcement was literally giggling like children over the mutilation done to that man. It's not funny and these people are sadistic for making light of it as are the directors and producers. He was in the bed sleeping when it occurred. It was premeditated and she should have went to jail. Making her a hero is so sexist and disgusting. You know raging liberals made this. Disappointing because I was really looking forward to learning about this case, but it's so immature and poorly done I couldn't stand it.
Finally, we see another side of the story.
jenjoejace16 February 2019
This series shows factual evidence of news clips, video clips from the courts and testimonies from all that are involved such as family, friends, neighbors, doctors, psychiatrists, etc. As a survivor of abuse, it was hard to hear everything that was being said. But the footage of the entire Bobbit trial gave all the evidence needed to see another side of the story.
Twisted
krishnadyehouse-6631314 April 2020
Extremely well done documentary...and traumatic
BBButler311 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
His documentary is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those who cannot stomach the some of the facts of this case. The research and editing were especially skilled, balancing the tragic and perverted aspects of both Lorena as well as her former husband John. It also shines an uncomfortable light on us.
This was not just the tale of these two people, but it was a story emblematic of the history and tragedy of domestic violence in our contemporary society as well as all civilization.
The film draws a portrait of Lorena as an Ecuadoran immigrant with stars in her eyes and tragically naive and immature faculties for assessing the character of a man who would be worthy to marry or even allow to be intimate with her in any way. She clearly did not have the maturity or temperament to be married as such a young age to a seriously disturbed man as John Wayne Bobbitt. The end of the story pictures her in her mid-50's with a mature much wiser outlook, but with the war-wounds of a battered spouse. I was both outraged and unnerved by the fact that she took a knife and cut of her husband's genital, but I was also sympathetic to the horriffying abuse she suffered.
More tragically, the portrait of John is that of a deeply contradictory soul, one who is "not the brightest bulb in the pack" by the assessment of one of the lawyers in his criminal trial, and yet very mild, cordial and even shy. On the other hand, his persona contains that of an enraged survivor of childhood sexual and domestic abuse himself. By the end of the 8-hours of documentary footage, I felt both great compassion as well a deep contempt for this man who, although a pathological liar, was himself incapable of seeing that he first lies to himself about reality. In contrast to Lorena's survival, John remains clearly a lost soul with no one to support or understand him. I don't know whether to sit and listen to his pain or to wack him in the side of the head for having been one of the biggest a&*^%olles and perverted rapists in this century. He makes me ashamed to be a man and makes me understand all the rage of women against men in general, although he is a symbol of the lowest among our gender.
Finally, the film did a great job of shining a light on us, society and the media, for treating the Bobbitt case as a form of perverted and amusing tabloid entertainment on the one hand and as an epic tragedy of our own selves on the other. At some points the film causes us to look at the situation with tongue-in-cheek satisfaction that of a man who got what was coming to him and a look at a couple who seemed to have deserved each other. Then again it caused us all to look soberly into the mirror of our own perversions and weep with horror at what we have become.
After decades since this incident, will domestic violence cease in America? Will be ever be healed? The film's message seems to be "probably not": we remain in denial and the current climate of our culture (Epstein, Wienstein, the #MeToo movement, Trump in the Oval Office, etc.), it will probably get worse. Perhaps much worse.
I marked this as containing spoilers since some viewers may be unaware of the facts and history of a case that is widely known by most Americans.
This was not just the tale of these two people, but it was a story emblematic of the history and tragedy of domestic violence in our contemporary society as well as all civilization.
The film draws a portrait of Lorena as an Ecuadoran immigrant with stars in her eyes and tragically naive and immature faculties for assessing the character of a man who would be worthy to marry or even allow to be intimate with her in any way. She clearly did not have the maturity or temperament to be married as such a young age to a seriously disturbed man as John Wayne Bobbitt. The end of the story pictures her in her mid-50's with a mature much wiser outlook, but with the war-wounds of a battered spouse. I was both outraged and unnerved by the fact that she took a knife and cut of her husband's genital, but I was also sympathetic to the horriffying abuse she suffered.
More tragically, the portrait of John is that of a deeply contradictory soul, one who is "not the brightest bulb in the pack" by the assessment of one of the lawyers in his criminal trial, and yet very mild, cordial and even shy. On the other hand, his persona contains that of an enraged survivor of childhood sexual and domestic abuse himself. By the end of the 8-hours of documentary footage, I felt both great compassion as well a deep contempt for this man who, although a pathological liar, was himself incapable of seeing that he first lies to himself about reality. In contrast to Lorena's survival, John remains clearly a lost soul with no one to support or understand him. I don't know whether to sit and listen to his pain or to wack him in the side of the head for having been one of the biggest a&*^%olles and perverted rapists in this century. He makes me ashamed to be a man and makes me understand all the rage of women against men in general, although he is a symbol of the lowest among our gender.
Finally, the film did a great job of shining a light on us, society and the media, for treating the Bobbitt case as a form of perverted and amusing tabloid entertainment on the one hand and as an epic tragedy of our own selves on the other. At some points the film causes us to look at the situation with tongue-in-cheek satisfaction that of a man who got what was coming to him and a look at a couple who seemed to have deserved each other. Then again it caused us all to look soberly into the mirror of our own perversions and weep with horror at what we have become.
After decades since this incident, will domestic violence cease in America? Will be ever be healed? The film's message seems to be "probably not": we remain in denial and the current climate of our culture (Epstein, Wienstein, the #MeToo movement, Trump in the Oval Office, etc.), it will probably get worse. Perhaps much worse.
I marked this as containing spoilers since some viewers may be unaware of the facts and history of a case that is widely known by most Americans.
Fantastic!
laceyistheheppest10 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It IS rated MA because of nudity and graphic details throughout.
I was only 4 or 5 when this all happened and I knew that what had happened was wild. That's all the news talked about, that's all that way on the covers of newspapers and magazines. I just knew what she did, but I didn't ever know the why. Until today. I loved how they talked to both Lorena and John and got their conflicting sides covered. John apparently isn't happy with the docuseries and how they made him appear? He did that himself. He contradicts himself as he did at Lorena's trial. It's one thing if this was the only documented instance of abuse, but he's abused every woman he's been involved with. The documented evidence is shown. Yet he still has excuses, points fingers everywhere else, and still is in denial. It's a sad shame. He still doesn't work and relies on disability to get by, but in stark contrast, Lorena is doing well for herself and has found a man who loves and respects her. I had no idea of the abuse and it's laid out for the viewer with clips from both trials, witnesses, those involved with both, and pictures of actual documents. I'll admit that I laughed at the penis jokes that I didn't quite understand when I was a kid, but now I know that that was insensitive and that she was also a victim. She acknowledged from day one that what she did was wrong and she'd have to live with that. John shows typical signs of being a sociopath. He even says near the end that his father severely abused his mother and she also had a mental breakdown and essentially abandoned him and his brothers. It's clear to see where he got his views on women. His own brothers have shown to have violent thoughts towards any woman who does John wrong in their eyes. From Lorena to Suzanne over at the Bunny Ranch where John had worked for a time. But they never had the same energy towards the shady men John was taken advantage of by.
I also really appreciated how they juxtaposed the clips and stuff from the trial with what was going on in the rest of the country in regards to protecting women who are victims of domestic violence as well as showing how sadly not much has changed. It was well edited and they got almost everyone involved in some aspect to sit down and speak. They did their best to cover both sides of the aisle. I agree with other reviewers that it could've been condensed to 2 hours, but they wanted to give this story the time it deserved. We never got this full picture in 1993, and I'm glad they shined this light on it. Lorena deserves that much at the very least.
I was only 4 or 5 when this all happened and I knew that what had happened was wild. That's all the news talked about, that's all that way on the covers of newspapers and magazines. I just knew what she did, but I didn't ever know the why. Until today. I loved how they talked to both Lorena and John and got their conflicting sides covered. John apparently isn't happy with the docuseries and how they made him appear? He did that himself. He contradicts himself as he did at Lorena's trial. It's one thing if this was the only documented instance of abuse, but he's abused every woman he's been involved with. The documented evidence is shown. Yet he still has excuses, points fingers everywhere else, and still is in denial. It's a sad shame. He still doesn't work and relies on disability to get by, but in stark contrast, Lorena is doing well for herself and has found a man who loves and respects her. I had no idea of the abuse and it's laid out for the viewer with clips from both trials, witnesses, those involved with both, and pictures of actual documents. I'll admit that I laughed at the penis jokes that I didn't quite understand when I was a kid, but now I know that that was insensitive and that she was also a victim. She acknowledged from day one that what she did was wrong and she'd have to live with that. John shows typical signs of being a sociopath. He even says near the end that his father severely abused his mother and she also had a mental breakdown and essentially abandoned him and his brothers. It's clear to see where he got his views on women. His own brothers have shown to have violent thoughts towards any woman who does John wrong in their eyes. From Lorena to Suzanne over at the Bunny Ranch where John had worked for a time. But they never had the same energy towards the shady men John was taken advantage of by.
I also really appreciated how they juxtaposed the clips and stuff from the trial with what was going on in the rest of the country in regards to protecting women who are victims of domestic violence as well as showing how sadly not much has changed. It was well edited and they got almost everyone involved in some aspect to sit down and speak. They did their best to cover both sides of the aisle. I agree with other reviewers that it could've been condensed to 2 hours, but they wanted to give this story the time it deserved. We never got this full picture in 1993, and I'm glad they shined this light on it. Lorena deserves that much at the very least.
It was cut short.
tylermiranda_re17 September 2019
25 years later...
cherryscakecreations16 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This documentary provides a glaring look at our culture's conception of domestic violence and just how little progress has actually been effectively made. While there is much focus on JW Bobbit, the 4 hr docu-series doesn't shy away from spotlighting all his documented victims, the essence of abuse and ptsd, and our own propensity to diminish the underlying issue while sensationalizing the shock at the expense of the victims. It could've been condensed to 2 hrs but it does a great job of setting the nostalgia of the 90s atmosphere while paralleling it with today's culture. Making its message even moreso relevant. It's not for everyone but i did enjoy it.
Discover for yourself
shaneequa7917 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Like many I had a firm grip on my opinion. Now I'm battling my moral compass in certain ways and that's what makes a good documentary. My ideas and knowledge going in ate vastly different coming out. I thought it was well edited and agree that you need to stick with it until the end. The use of natural light helped keep it grounded in reality but it may have been ok to do just a part one and part two. I was a teenager when this happened so hearing a large chunk of her testimony was very interesting as well as got the point across, but perhaps 2 longer parts would be better then 4.
Don't listen to the haters...find your own opinion and don't be afraid if what you had going in gets challenged or a little shook after looking at things with new eyes and from a different side. Get all the facts, discover for yourself and allow others to do the same.
Don't listen to the haters...find your own opinion and don't be afraid if what you had going in gets challenged or a little shook after looking at things with new eyes and from a different side. Get all the facts, discover for yourself and allow others to do the same.
Re-living it all with a more mature POV
universalsoul17 May 2021
I was probably around 18 years old when I lived this trial in my country. I was glued to it as it opened my eyes as a young woman newlywed to an abuser. My abuser told me don't you ever dare do that to me. He knew he deserved it somehow. I was younger than Lorena but living more or less the same. Thanks to her (and not to you, mom or MIL) I learned that rape does exist in a marriage and that we are to give consent.
And it is absolutely amazing to see all of this through the eyes of a mature (and of course divorced) woman. I rage when I hear how they try (the men) to bring down her testimonies because this is how I felt. I felt alone and terrified and still lived with that MF for 3.5 years and slept in the same bed. This is a case of how far we have come in woman rights and how we still have lots to go. Feminicide is up now in the pandemic as millions of women have to live 24/7 with their abusers. Time to do more! Anyway, great watch, nice to see it all behind doors as the NYT wrote on this doc and nice to have now a safe and mature mind to go over the case.
And it is absolutely amazing to see all of this through the eyes of a mature (and of course divorced) woman. I rage when I hear how they try (the men) to bring down her testimonies because this is how I felt. I felt alone and terrified and still lived with that MF for 3.5 years and slept in the same bed. This is a case of how far we have come in woman rights and how we still have lots to go. Feminicide is up now in the pandemic as millions of women have to live 24/7 with their abusers. Time to do more! Anyway, great watch, nice to see it all behind doors as the NYT wrote on this doc and nice to have now a safe and mature mind to go over the case.
Excruciating, redemptive, fascinating look back at a pivot point in America's conscience
TheReelMovieMaven24 February 2019
I rated this documentary high because, technically, it's editing was so well done; by choice of editing certain scenes, juxtaposing spoken words with focus on different people and actions, the viewer could glean so much more of what was left unsaid and implied. When this incident actually occurred in the '90s, I gave it only my cursory attention, since I've never been a "tabloid" follower. But, the filmmaker recreates here the era, including the politically vacuous attitude toward women's issues even after the "Second Wave" of feminism was winding down, and the ultimate resiliance of Lorena Bobbitt that brought her to reclaim a life beyond being a tabloid joke. This is an important film. I am in awe of the filmmaker for having the inspiration and guts to make it. In this era of #MeToo, this should be required viewing in all high schools.
She should have done hard time
mlhare4 December 2021
I am sorry for what happened to her but what she did should have been punished. Had she done it in self defense different story. She should have left. Had it been the other way and he cut her arm off no one would have had sympathy. Abuse is WRONG no matter if man or woman doing it. FYI i am a grown woman with a grown daughter so i am being neutral and fair. I know leaving an abusive relationship is hard but it is possible.
DON'T STOP AT EPISODE ONE - the other 3 episodes are like a different documentary
becca793113 February 2020
I read many of the reviews and it seems most of the one star reviews I read seem to be a result of stopping during or after the first episode. I agree with you, the first episode is all over the place. I recommend continuing on to episode 2 in which the style of the documentary finds it's footing. Episode 4 contains a lot of information that most people were probably not privy to since it occurred after both trials concluded.
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