In case the rapid expansion of Facebook, the media heat over its loose privacy settings, an upcoming look into its Howard Hughs-esque creator (The Social Network) or a slew of other "documentaries" that masquerade as portrayals of real events (surprise, I'm Still Here was fake) wasn't driving you into a manic state of paranoia, the new movie Catfish is fully prepared to pull you on board and drive you off that cliff.
And really, we could all use the wake up call.
The posters for Catfish politely suggest that you shouldn't let anyone tell you what the movie is, and I certainly won't be the one to spoil those twists and turns - but the doc is as much about the final reveal as the journey getting there. Specifically, the journey photographer Nev Schulman and filmmakers Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman take as Nev uncovers the mystery behind an online relationship that began on Facebook and sent him hurdling into the unknown.
The movie's a thriller at heart, a terrifying detective story that constantly (and cleverly) employs the digital avenues we're accustomed to: Facebook, Google, iPhones, etc. Catfish uses montages of Facebook interactions, IM conversations, zipping across the country using Google as part of its visual style and it never feels cheap, only reminiscent of our own day to day activity. Yes, what happens to Nev could happen to you.
Our ability to find and create infinite amounts of information online is the cause and answer to Nev's problem. Eventually, Nev does discover the truths that his online girlfriend Megan is hiding, but the emotional payoff doesn't come until he puts down the laptop and digs deeper.
There have been allegations that the film is a ruse, that the events were staged. It makes sense - what goes down in Catfish is the epitome of "stranger than fiction," and you'll leave the theater asking yourself the same questions: was it real? Am I being duped, just like Nev? Could this happen to me?
True or not, those suspicions make Catfish a great film.
