By Dani Wong, news correspondent
A refreshing new release, “Catfish” tells a story unlike any other, breaking free from a sea of humdrum documentaries.
The brainchild of filmmakers Rel Schulman and Henry Joost, “Catfish” was called “the best Hitchcock film never directed,” by the Financial Times.
One of the most talked about movies of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, “Catfish” introduces Nev Schulman, a 20-something photographer living in New York City.
Nev’s roommates Rel and Joost started filming him when an eight-year-old girl named Abby, of Ishpeming, Mich., begins to convert Nev’s photography into pastel paintings and mailing him the final products. Both amused and impressed, Nev begins a relationship with Abby and, ultimately, her family.
Among the clan are Abby’s mother, Angela; brother, Alex and sister, Megan. Megan is especially intriguing to Nev, and the two start a long-distance relationship over the Internet.
Consisting mainly of phone calls and Facebook messages, the romance develops through flirty texts and a mutual longing for something more. The Facebook couple often spends their time “sexting” into the wee hours of the night.
Nev’s distance-induced heartache is eased when Megan begins to sing for him. She records his specially-requested songs and serenades Nev via the Internet. That is, until the guys realize her voice recording is identical to covers readily available on YouTube.
Wanting to give his girlfriend the benefit of the doubt, Schulman listens with an open mind. The evidence is obvious, however, and Megan is exposed. Torn, Schulman knows that his feelings for Megan are real, leading him and his friends to travel to the Michigan property where her family resides.
Music plagiarism ends up being the least of his problems. The love-driven pursuit morphs into a shocking realization that Nev, Rel and Henry never saw coming.
With its gripping and controversial storyline, the reality thriller has already endured heavy criticism. Rel Schulman and Joost insist that its content is 100 percent true. But this has not stopped claims from critics that they secretly staged the story.
When asked about the accusations, the filmmakers said they are trying to remain calm and positive. Joost was frustrated, however, that people refuse to believe what he witnessed as the truth.
“Catfish” is heart-warming and funny, yet unsettling in many ways. Ironically, the weirdest element of the documentary is its validity. For the most part, comedic moments are able to dilute the eeriness of the story. The conclusion, however, will intrigue even the purest skeptics who think they see the twist coming. The last half of the film produces a shock value that can’t be matched.
Be prepared for a bizarre and thrilling movie experience, guaranteed to make one rethink and question the safety of the Internet and social networking.
