This Wild New Netflix Movie Will Make You Think Twice About Befriending Strangers Online

Meet Kirat Assi. She's a successful marketer and radio presenter based in West London, and when Bobby—the handsome older brother of her cousin's ex-boyfriend—initiates a virtual friendship on Facebook, she thinks nothing of it. At this point, both are in relationships, and Kirat even has plans to marry her on-again, off-again partner. However, things take a rather interesting turn when, a few years later, Kirat gets word from Bobby's wife that he's been shot and rushed to the hospital in Kenya.

Unfortunately, Bobby's injuries are so severe that he winds up in a coma and gets placed in witness protection. This takes a toll on his marriage and his wife leaves him, not long after Kirat decides to end things with her boyfriend. So, as they continue to chat primarily through text and Facebook messages, their friendship—you guessed it—blossoms into a romance.

However, the honeymoon phase of this seemingly perfect relationship fades away fast. Kirat begins to suspect that something is seriously off about Bobby, which prompts her to investigate.

It sure is. The true-crime doc is based on a popular podcast called Sweet Bobby, which was created by Tortoise Media and released in 2021. The podcast chronicled the true story of Kirat Assi, who started a harmless online friendship that, ultimately, wreaked havoc on her personal life. Not surprisingly, the podcast was a major success and drew thousands of listeners.

Assi, who has done multiple interviews on the podcast, told Stylist, “I needed to have control of the narrative. On a personal level [I needed] to tell the story so people would believe that this can happen. And then making sure that these difficult things that people can’t understand are explained in some way.”

I'll be real with you: I went through a roller-coaster of emotions when I watched this. One moment my heart was racing. Then I was genuinely confused... Then my heart broke for poor Assi. And all the while, I half expected this mysterious Bobby to manipulate Assi into sending him money for a dire emergency. There were definitely moments that made me raise an eyebrow. (Like the way Bobby could only talk in whispers...)

But I do credit Shannon for presenting the full story in such a captivating way and, more importantly, for giving Assi the space to tell it honestly. Seeing her relive those moments as she detailed the story definitely tugged at the heartstrings, but towards the end, I saw newfound confidence and determination to move forward with her life, rather than continuing to be a victim. And I'm almost certain that this will empower others who've dealt with shame after they've been catfished.

Also, I enjoyed the element of suspense. I mean, yes, the title already reveals that Bobby isn't truly Bobby. But what's really compelling is that final reveal. TBH, I'm still not over it. And it's making me think twice before I even consider starting a new online friendship.

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare is now available to stream on Netflix.