I saw this on DVD this afternoon. At first, I thought I'd made a bad choice of movie. I checked the DVD cover, realised it was a documentary, so I somewhat begrudgingly stuck with it.
The young men making the film are bright eyed and bushy tailed in a non affected kind of way. I watched a bit more, still unsure how long I would last. The initial camera work is youtubey, and there's little ready narrative to latch onto. Don't let that put you off. Opening scenes spend a lot of time in the filmmaker's office/studio where the lads speak rather off handedly about this Facebook connection brother Nev has made with a Michigan girl who's sending him paintings. This moves to his making contact with other members of the Michigan family, Nev speaking with them by phone. We share the filmmaker's surprise and growing intrigue at developments in this relationship and the continuing arrival of paintings. Nev reads for the camera the correspondence with the mother, older daughter and of the wonderful success young painting daughter, Abby, is experiencing in the family's hometown. Nev begins more intimate phone texting with the older daughter, Megan, who sends him songs to serenade their mutual affection. It's on her sending him quite accomplished songs on request, Nev gets an uncomfortable itch he needs to scratch. He searches the songs on Youtube, discovers Megan isn't the musician or singer of those songs, and the rest is history of a type you won't have experienced before. Here, I really begin liking this documentary. For the story to continue the only way forward is to unravel the mystery. So they do.
The film makers seize the opportunity to take us to Michigan and a surprise visit to Angela, Megan and Abby. What is revealed is shocking, but what transpires is a genuine triumph for the viewer, made possible by the even handedness and whole heartedness of the film makers, particularly Nev. I'm rarely convinced or moved by attempts at absolution in film (Amadeus excepted). Catfish achieves this and more, without artifice. Highly recommended.
The young men making the film are bright eyed and bushy tailed in a non affected kind of way. I watched a bit more, still unsure how long I would last. The initial camera work is youtubey, and there's little ready narrative to latch onto. Don't let that put you off. Opening scenes spend a lot of time in the filmmaker's office/studio where the lads speak rather off handedly about this Facebook connection brother Nev has made with a Michigan girl who's sending him paintings. This moves to his making contact with other members of the Michigan family, Nev speaking with them by phone. We share the filmmaker's surprise and growing intrigue at developments in this relationship and the continuing arrival of paintings. Nev reads for the camera the correspondence with the mother, older daughter and of the wonderful success young painting daughter, Abby, is experiencing in the family's hometown. Nev begins more intimate phone texting with the older daughter, Megan, who sends him songs to serenade their mutual affection. It's on her sending him quite accomplished songs on request, Nev gets an uncomfortable itch he needs to scratch. He searches the songs on Youtube, discovers Megan isn't the musician or singer of those songs, and the rest is history of a type you won't have experienced before. Here, I really begin liking this documentary. For the story to continue the only way forward is to unravel the mystery. So they do.
The film makers seize the opportunity to take us to Michigan and a surprise visit to Angela, Megan and Abby. What is revealed is shocking, but what transpires is a genuine triumph for the viewer, made possible by the even handedness and whole heartedness of the film makers, particularly Nev. I'm rarely convinced or moved by attempts at absolution in film (Amadeus excepted). Catfish achieves this and more, without artifice. Highly recommended.