Catfish (2010) ****

CatfishThreading a fine line between Cinéma Vérité and Direct Cinema, this timely 'documentary' touches a much deeper theme than what it seemed to have initially intended on doing. Though uneven and heavy-handed at times, it manages to take the patient viewer, through quite a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, and for that it deserve an extra star. I can go on and on about the faults of this film, yet the few things it does right, are quite authentic and leave a strong impression. Going into too many details may take away from the experience so I will not elaborate. The film gets credits for creating a gripping thriller scene, and also for the exposé of human psyche that goes well beyond the obvious online pretend game. At this point, it comes as no big surprise that quite a few people like to make believe, on occasion, that they are someone else online. But the human need behind the action, both embarrassing and touching, is what really makes this film stand out. If you choose to watch it, be patience for the first hour – a time that could have been handled much better from a filmmaking perspective. But ultimately it is a rewarding experience.