Warning: "Don't let anyone tell you what it is." As demanded by the <em>Catfish</em> advertisements, the best way to experience this thriller documentary is to avoid the spoilers. Another tip is to disregard the skeptics who claim that <em>Catfish</em> is a complete fabrication. From beginning to end, the documentary authentically captures an unfolding relationship in our 21st Century digitalized world.
<em>Catfish</em> follows Nev Schulman, a 24-year-old photographer, who one day receives a painting in the mail depicting his featured photograph from The New York Sun. The painting is from an 8-year-old girl from Michigan, named Abby Faccio. After a few phone conversations with Abby's mother, Angela, and a constant flow of paintings into his New York City office, Nev befriends the entire Faccio family on Facebook. Megan, Abby's 19-year-old half-sister, is the one family member in particular whom Nev instantly connects with. Over a span of 8 months of filming, Nev and Megan's friendship evolves into an intimate long-distance relationship. After a series of events that lead Nev to believe that his love-interest is not being entirely truthful, he and the two filmmakers embark on a road-trip to Michigan to meet Megan for the first time.
What is so fascinating about <em>Catfish</em> is the build-up to the disturbing events at the end. Throughout the film there is an underlying mystery that suddenly hits the viewer in the face, similar to watching a horror movie. Though this experience may sound more like <em>Paranormal Activity</em>, <em>Catfish</em> is unquestionably real. The story of <em>Catfish</em> could be classified as one of those "once in a lifetime" bizarre experiences that occur in everyone's life. This relatable factor is essentially what makes Nev and his documentary so engaging. The viewer laughs with Nev as he giddily swoons over Megan, and goes through bouts of confusion and frustration with Nev as the truth is revealed towards the end.
Regardless of the over-hyped trailer that claims <em>Catfish</em> is "the best Hitchcock film Hitchcock never directed," the viewer certainly undergoes thought-provoking paranoia that lasts past the ending credits. It is a story of destructive human nature as the product of the Facebook generation. <em>Catfish</em> is a must-see that will certainly convince any viewer to investigate their Friends list.</p>
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