I really enjoyed experiencing the documented real life story of Nev Schulman and the family of Angela Wesselman that directors Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman captured in their 2010 film Catfish.
This film touchingly reveals the level of connectedness that can be shared by people of vastly different worlds, who are living highly contrasting lives.
In the first twenty minutes the directors did a great job of engaging me with the excitement of the main characters Nev’s mutual enamorment with Abby, a highly successful child artist (Nev is also an artist) with the maturity and wisdom of an adult.
I then found myself relating to Nev again as he wooed Abby's sister Megan, as a new love interest, into his world.
As their budding courtship develops, we get to watch the subtitles of the communication between them amidst the vast physical separation they share.
The story progresses steadily and the characters unfold. The mid point of the film reaches a climax when Nev finally spontaneously decides to make a surprise visit to Megan, Abby and their mother Angela.
The scene delivers a very high level of suspense. So much so it reminded me of the last two minutes of The Blair Witch Project it was so intense.
By this point in the film you have been given many opportunities to speculate about the truth behind the accumulation of mysteries that surround this family that Nev has discovered. My guess is that you will not be far from figuring out what the visit to Angela’s house will reveal especially if you are aware of the remote fullness and limited economies of the upper peninsula of Michigan where Angela’s family lives.
I wanted to stop this film many times to begin write my review with all the different speculations but am glad I waited until the end as the story took many unexpected changes and waiting for each result was fascinating.
In the end, I found the brave willingness of Nev to enter Angela’s family’s world encouraging and I was touched the outcome of each of their mutual discoveries. Abby, Megan and Angela are worthy women to be wooed and watching the enrichment of their friendships with Nev really worked because it was real life.
Why do we choose to watch film? To learn more about the context of our own selves and the lives we choose to live? To briefly share the vicariousness of a fantasy world filled with alter egos?
If you answered yes to these either questions I encourage you the watch Catfish. I also not so secretly hope to be a “catfish” for you and your life.
As their budding courtship develops, we get to watch the subtitles of the communication between them amidst the vast physical separation they share.
In the end, I found the brave willingness of Nev to enter Angela’s family’s world encouraging and I was touched the outcome of each of their mutual discoveries. Abby, Megan and Angela are worthy women to be wooed and watching the enrichment of their friendships with Nev really worked because it was real life.
If you answered yes to these either questions I encourage you the watch Catfish. I also not so secretly hope to be a “catfish” for you and your life.
