An absorbing movie with a caveat: it’s not what the trailer claims it to be.
CATFISH literally puts you on the edge of your seat (and in this reviewer’s case, hands over mouth in incredulity) with its unexpected twists. However, despite its protagonists’ authenticity and so-bizarre-it-must-be-real turn of events – not to mention the filmmakers’ vehement insistence that none of it was staged -- I’ve got my doubts about its being 100% documentary. No matter how well it may have been edited, the dialogue’s pace and timing at times are just a little too crisp for normally messy reality. Just want to get that point out of the way. Fortunately though, in the end that question mark is neither here nor there - if anything, the mystery contributes to the film’s quirky appeal.
Nev (short for Yaniv, so pronounced Neev) Shulman is an amiable, fledgling photographer in New York City. Shortly after one of his photos is published in the New York Sun, Nev receives in the mail a painted reproduction of the pic from an 8-year-old girl named Abby in small-town Michigan. The two become friends on Facebook (the cinematic topic du jour, with THE SOCIAL NETWORK hitting theaters Oct. 1). Nev sends her more of his photos, and Abby joyfully paints and sends them to him. Nev then becomes Facebook friends with Abby's mother Angela and older sister Megan (both very attractive in their photos). And then with their circle of friends… Enter Nev's brother Rel (short for Ariel) and best friend Henry, both amateur filmmakers. The enterprising duo, also in their twenties, see documentary fodder in this strange but sweet story of budding online friendships. They start shooting, somewhat to Nev’s chagrin.
And thus the tale, and their documentary, takes a series of zigzags none of the three saw coming.
>> Read the rest at Upcoming-Movies.com
No comments:
Post a Comment