This was supposed to be a review of “Players” (American; 2024; rom-com; running time 1 hour, 45 minutes; directed by Trish Sie, written by Whit Anderson; rated TV-MA for language and smoking; in limited theaters and streaming on Netflix on Feb. 14, 2024), but I quit on it about six minutes in because those involved seemed like horrible people who were manipulating their marks to trick them into having casual sex. Needing something more life-affirming, I switched to “Lover, Stalker, Killer” (American, 2024, true crime documentary, running time 1 hour, 30 minutes; directed by Sam Hobkinson; rated TV-MA for language; streaming on Netflix on Feb. 9, 2024) in which horrible people cross paths on a dating site and stalking, intimidation, home invasion and arson ensue. As it always does. “Lover, Stalker, Killer” is efficient and entertaining, if just a tad predictable, in telling its shocking true story, the “shocking” part being an aspect those involved will remind you about ad nauseum. Like with almost all of Netflix’s salacious true crime documentaries, afterwards you’ll want to shower or curl up into the fetal position and swear off dating. Again.

In the early 2000s, dude bro mechanic Dave Kroupa moved to Omaha to be closer to his young children after he and his baby mama split. Looking for casual action, he went on a dating site and met Liz Golyar. They had alcohol-infused good times and agreed to keep things fun. Or so Dave thought. Soon after, Dave, still on the prowl, found on the same dating site a woman (Cari Farver) who had recently brought her car to Dave’s auto repair shop. They had alcohol-infused good times, and Dave was happy, and Cari seemed OK with it. But one night Liz shows up unannounced at Dave’s apartment when Cari was there. No big deal, Dave thinks; everybody’s chill. Until Dave starts getting nasty texts from … Cari, who begins stalking and threatening him. Those targeted include, of course, Liz, whose home is set on fire, killing all her pets. Omaha police investigators can’t seem to find Cari, who is apparently a ninja. Dave gets sick of it all and moves away. He’s learned his lesson about dating sites. Except no. He’s browsing again when he meets another party gal, but she stands him up. And – wouldn’t you know it? – all along it was Cari posing as someone else. Why can’t anyone find this crazy stalker? That’s what the Pottawattamie County (in Iowa but bordering Omaha) Sheriff’s Department wanted to know. A cowboy detective, his loose-cannon sidekick and nerdy tech guy found it weird that Cari had moved away and become a recluse shortly after crossing paths with Liz, even though she took nothing from her apartment when checking out on life. Through some good old-fashioned IT forensics investigation, they unraveled the mystery and unlocked the shocking twist, which you can probably guess by now.

Director Hobkinson largely lets the story tell itself in linear fashion, through the usual methods, including interviews, re-enactments and media coverage (though there was little of it until late in the investigation). Dave Kroupa plays himself in some of the re-enactments, which is weird, and Dave seems to be enjoying a little too much retelling a story he has no doubt retold often before. The film takes a nice, if jolting, turn when the sheriff department gets involved, if for no other reason than an investigator from Omaha comes across as a human shoulder shrug during his interviews. Hobkinson could have perhaps spent more time on Cari Farver’s story, though that would have made for less suspense. Hobkinson, try as he might, can’t totally conceal the twist. Still, you will agree with those involved who call this situation the most shocking they have seen. It’s going to make you wonder what is wrong with people, and by that I mean people on dating sites.

My score: 82 out of 100