Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Movie Review: Catfish

I think Guy Rule #1 is 'No Tramp Stamps'.  Right up there with 'No Emoticons to other guys' (I'm giving sending them to the other sex a pass although it is also frowned upon).

Although the lead character in this 'documentary' has a tramp stamp - which makes me question his orientation and thus throwing the entire film into even more doubt - this is definitely an interesting entry for first timers Rael  and Henry Joost.  I think it will be hurt in the marketplace because this has been the year of the 'fake documentary' - with 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' and 'I'm Still Here'.  And that's a shame, because it is worth seeing.  Tramp stamp and all.

I know a lot has been made of the 'is this real or is it made up'... and I don't think it necessarily matters.  For me, I don't believe a single scene of it was reality.  Some viewers even think it is a mix of reality and fiction - that one side of it is reality (the family in Michigan) and the other realized early on in the correspondence that they had something and started to fashion a film around it.  If so - god bless em' - they did an awesome job.  No matter what is true - Catfish is a very entertaining, engrossing and haunting movie.  

I actually thought it was going to turn to a much darker place towards the end - maybe I just misjudged the trailer - but was still riveted to the proceedings and how they would play out.  If it is real - wow, some really creepy stuff... and my heart also goes out to anyone that is that damaged or lonely.  If it is fake - wow, some great acting by those involved.  'Angela' is certainly a powerhouse and when you first meet her you are definitely on the edge of your seat.  

Do you need to run out to the theaters to see this?  Probably not - the visuals and sounds aren't enhanced by a theater.  But it is definitely worth seeing at some point.

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