Netflix's New True Crime Show Just Dropped & Has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes Already

Summary

• On February 9, a new documentary called Lover, Stalker, Killer was released on Netflix.
• It's an edge-of-your-seat story full of eeriness and absurdity about how a dating app match turned into murder and stalking.
• The movie immediately shot to the top of Netflix and scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

A week after Valentine's Day, many of us are revisiting romantic dramas and comedies to further immerse ourselves in idyllic notions of love. But in this ironic contrast, Netflix audiences are more immersed in the darker side of suddenly unleashed feelings: while rom-coms never stop exploiting meet-cute tropes and idle hookups escalate into happy weddings, the reality sometimes ends much less happily.

That's the story behind Netflix's new true crime film Lover, Stalker, Killer. This documentary about the creepy underbelly of the polished world of dating apps like Tinder instantly became one of the most watched and definitely talked about movies on the streaming service, and critics have been raving about it. Let's find out what this movie is and why it's become so popular.

Always Check Who You're Hooking Up With

The documentary Lover, Stalker, Killer, released on Netflix on February 9, is initially positioned as a true crime film about a crazy love triangle. One of the people involved, Dave Kroupa, met a woman on a dating app, and after a short time together, she disappeared off the radar. Later, however, she began terrorizing him with constant threats in text messages. And the real reason for this change in behavior turned out to be truly stunning.

In 2012, Dave Kroupa matched with Liz Golyar on a dating app. It was more of a hookup than a commitment, and after Kroupa developed a casual, non-exclusive thing with Golyar, he soon started dating other person he met on the app, Cari Farver. But Farver soon vanished without a trace. She did, however, begin texting Kroupa suspicious messages that violated their agreements. Golyar also became a victim of Farver's stalking, even escaping a house fire that killed her pets.

Here comes the crazy part. An investigation revealed that Farver had long since been murdered, and that the real culprit was actually Golyar, who had been impersonating Farver and even burning down her own house. Now Golyar is serving a lifetime sentence for first-degree murder and arson.

It was directed by Sam Hobkinson, who's known for true crime films like 2018's The Kleptocrats and 2021's Misha. In other words, expect a solid documentary with in-depth research.

One of Netflix's Most High-Profile Documentary Premieres

Since its release on February 9, Lover, Stalker, Killer has instantly become one of the most-watched English-language full-length films on Netflix, both among US users and worldwide. According to the streaming service, the documentary ranked second among the Top 10 films in the US for the week of February 5-11, and jumped to the honorable first place the following week, February 12-18.

What's on Netflix data also shows that the trend has spread to other countries, as the film topped both the global Top 25 and Top 10 in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand. It also remains one of the most-watched films worldwide this week and is still number two in the US behind the horror film Thanksgiving.

The film's critical and audience acclaim shows how much the story of a documentary about mad obsessions and police incompetence has resonated with audiences around the world. It has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes (and 81% approval from audiences).

Those who have seen the film have commented that Lover, Stalker, Killer doesn't break any new ground in terms of storytelling or cinematography, but that doesn't make it any less absorbing. The major strength of the film is that director Sam Hobkinson is able to deliver a coherent narrative that maintains a high level of tension and keeps the viewers on edge.