Paul and I decided to rent some movies last night. We canceled our Netflix subscription because we never ended up using it. I used it a couple of times to watch Rugrats episodes to fulfill my nostalgia quota, but I don’t think we really got our money’s worth. I wasn’t going to tell Paul about Rugrats, but Netflix sent Paul an email asking how he enjoyed watching it. I got made fun of a lot for that one.
So we went to one of the 3 video stores left in the entire world and picked out some movies. It was 9:45pm and they closed at 10 so I was kind of pressed for time. I couldn’t browse the store like I wanted to. This place has about every movie ever–top notch selection. I wanted to rent “Like Crazy” because I heard it was good, but they were all rented out! Grr. So I grabbed Catfish and Paul picked some weird Nazi movie with Stanley Tucci and Kenneth Branagh. Seriously.
We watched Catfish and it was about as weird as I thought it would be. If you want to see the movie, stop reading now because I’m going to spoil it for you.
The main character, Nev (prononuced Neev) Schulman is just your typical Jewish New York photographer. One of his pictures got published in a magazine. A 9 year old girl, Abby, painted a picture of his photograph and sent it to him. Nev was flattered and he started to write back and forth with Abby, sending her more photos for her to paint.
Yaniv "Nev" Schulman
This seems harmless to me. Granted, it’s still weird for a 24 year old guy to be emailing a 9 year old girl. Even if it’s purely innocent. Nev eventually comes in contact with Abby’s mom, Angela, and Abby’s half-sister Megan. He’s spoken to all 3 of them on the phone, becoming facebook friends with all of them, texting them, etc. Nev and Megan end up talking a lot. They flirt, they call each other “babe” and they seem like they would date if they weren’t separated by the distance (Megan and her family live in Michigan).
Megan claims to be an artsy type–she dances, and sings. She sends Nev some songs that she’s recorded and he very impressed. He searches the songs online and finds out that she actually didn’t sing them, she just stole them from youtube. He get’s super freaked out by this. If she lied about her songs, what else is she lying about?
Nev, his brother Rel (WHO NAMED THESE KIDS?), and their friend Henry decide to go to Angela, Abby, and Megan’s house. Yeah guys, why the hell not? They go to their house and find this older, creepy woman (who is indeed Angela) who takes care of her husband’s two mentally challenged children from his past marriage. She proceeds to lie about things until they call her out. She admits that she was the one painting the pictures for him, not Abby. Pretending to be your 9 year old daughter is always a normal move. She also admits that Megan is actually in rehab for alcoholism, so she was actually pretending to be her as well. Talking on the phone with Nev, texting Nev, calling him babe, and handsome…it’s just all so weird.
Angela
During their meeting she also tells them that she has cancer. So they guys leave Michigan kind of amazed that someone could fool them and make up a totally different life. But you can tell that they also feel bad for her. Clearly she used her alter egos as some sort of an escape mechanism. She obviously wishes she could be a painter, or a beautiful dancer and singer. But instead she’s stuck taking care of people who are fully dependent on her.
Right before the credits you learn that Angela actually doesn’t have cancer or another daughter Megan. That probably creeped me out the most. Even when she was coming clean, she still had to spew out lies. I don’t understand why some people aren’t okay with telling the truth. Then they get caught in their lies and STILL LIE.
Lying is the one thing that anyone can do. Anyone can lie to you. Kids can lie, adults lie, high authorities lie–anyone can. The internet is weird that way. People can make their lies almost become a reality. There’s bound to be a Word Press user or two who aren’t who they say they are. I could be Stephanie In Florida for all you know.
Lily In Canada 
Eww! That’s a creeper. I didn’t see the final lies coming! That’s an example of a pathological liar. She basically erased her real life, for reasons unknown. I suspect that these people are deeply wounded, the pain of who they are is intolerable and so they take on a new persona. It’s sad but it’s also creepy. I’d like to think I could tell who was being inauthentic from the blogging world but who knows?
Yeah, its definitely sad when they go to meet her. They almost don’t want to confront her because they know that she’s just trying to escape her life situation. It’s super creepy. She’s literally taking someone else’s pictures off of the internet and saying it’s her.
I’d like to think I could tell too, but some people are very convincing when they have nothing else to do.
Good point, we could be anybody. Or to rephrase in another way, we could be anyone we want to be. hmmmm..
Hmmm..Yeah it’s definitely weird when you think about it. I think we just want to trust that people are who they say they are. And when we find out that they’re not, it gets kind of creepy!
Has that happened to you on here? I think I have only had positive experiences so far
Yeah, only positive for me as well. But it’s always in the back of my head that someone could be making everything up! Hah
So, is Angela a method actor or something? By the looks of her she is obviously in the acting world for the CRAFT and not the BEAUTY. Nev, too. Because in the world of cinema, BEAUTY IS NOT SKIN DEEP. It’s all on the surface, baby. Where did the director get these people to be in “Catfish?” Did he say, “You are all the most beautiful people in the world. I smell an Oscar coming our way. Come, please come with me, and I will make you all famous.” This whole “Catfish” thing is a web of lies. Lies. All lies.
I kind of forgot to mention that this is a documentary! This really happened! During the movie I kind of thought they were acting up until the end because it kind of seemed staged. But I guess these 3 guys just filmed it?
But I do have to admit, Angela is super sexy.
This movie had a long lasting effect on me. It was incredible to me that she had built such a huge web of lies………..I really think this woman is still out there pretending again to be someone else…..Nasty
Dude, I know right? It’s so creepy that people just do that and think no one is going to find out. If she didn’t want them to find her though, why did she give them her address? Hmmm
She was definitely in love with him……..the poor guy is probably twisted for life……..
Yeah…so disturbing! All of those text conversations…ewww
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww
I could have said I was Keith, the 45 year old plumber from Poland, but you’ve heard my voice and seen my face which really, is just as good as actually meeting me.
…Unless I just film a random 26 year old against his will… “THROW THE BOTTLE AGAIN!” I yell.
Anyway, that film actually seems quite rubbish and pointless in the grand scheme of things. But your review of it is awesome 🙂
Hah I just realized it’s an actual documentary? That makes it even worse that that woman is real?
Yeah she’s real! ewwwww
Haha Keith from Poland! HAHA THROW THE BOTTLE AGAIN! “okay sir…”
Thanks Pete, reviewing films is hard…especially when your writing about every detail!
What about the Nazi film?
Lol we haven’t watched that one quite yet…I’m dreading it.
I watched that movie after hearing from some girls that it was really creepy and there was a big freaky twist in the middle. I was almost sure they were going to get killed. I’m still not even sure if the movie was real or not. I said it to you before, I know several people who have gone to great lengths into lying about who they are so it almost doesn’t surprise me.
I’m still curious as to which WP’er you think is Catfishing.
I think it’s real! At first I thought it was just “based on real events” or whatever, but I watched an interview with Angela and she keeps apologizing for what she did to Nev. So I guess it’s real.
I facebook messaged you who I think is a Catfish! I figured you just ignored me because you didn’t want to be found OR that I mistakenly messaged a different Tim Boyle. Check your messages bro.
LMAO yes you got the wrong Tim Boyle. I’ve met 2 in my life and the owner of Colombia Sports Wear has my name. That poor guy. I will Facebook stalk you (did I ever mention that online stalking is in my blood? My dad’s been doing it since the invention of the Internet).
Let the record be known that I lied and Mark Zuckerberg is an ass.
Hahaha. Turns out I’m just as good at facebook stalking, if not better? I can even send you a message and it goes unnoticed! Stealth.
That is so WEIRD! *adds to movie list*
Like, seriously… How messed up can you be?!
And yesss! Creepy that people feel the need to LIE. And do it again and again. For NO REASON. And really, who do we know? We know NO ONE. Everyone here can be totally different than we think. GAAAAAH!
Yes, it’s so bizarre! I know! It really makes you think about things. I always trust people way too much, but who knows if anyone is who they say they are? Definitely watch it though…it’s weird!
I’m sad you didn’t get to see Like Crazy. I f***ing loooooove that movie! And I think you would as well, since we’re both so well-versed in long distance relationships. (On that note, watch Going the Distance – it’s a much funnier take on the subject).
I got stuck watching Catfish once on HBO and without having the intention to do so, I sat through the whole thing with my jaw dropped. I think the way the story unravels and how suspenseful it is makes the thing great. Also, Nev is real cute.
So is this movie based on a true story or not? I was never sure…
Ohh okay I’ll check those out! My mom and brother said they really liked Like Crazy!
Nev is super cute! I think it is real! I thought it was “base on true events” or something, but I think the whole thing is real! I would be freaking outttt!
Well it made for a great movie and it made them famous…
I’ve heard about this, but, haven’t seen it, nor will I. I have enough issues with people in life, I don’t need something planted in my head to start stressing about. So, allow me to join the chorus of ‘EWWW!”
It’s actually super interesting! It’s a sad story, but it’s totally something that could happen! But yeah, more importantly..EWW
I hope you’re actually Lily in Canada! She rocks…
It’s really me, Lily in Canada. I don’t think I could pass as anyone else without my true identity shinning through!