Catfish (2010)

6.9	Rating (231 ratings)
7.1	IMDB rating

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Directed by

Ariel Schulman

Henry Joost

Starring

Yaniv Schulman
Himself

Ariel Schulman
Himself

Henry Joost
Himself

Angela Wesselman-Pierce
Herself

Melody C. Roscher
Herself

Wendy Whelan
Dancer: Morphoses

Tiler Peck
Dancer: Morphoses

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Catfish Videos

Trailer

506 Views, 1 votes

Added 14 years ago

Catfish #4 Movie CLIP - Here's Looking at You (2010) HD

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Added 12 years ago

Catfish #3 Movie CLIP - Instantaneous Relationship (2010) HD

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Added 12 years ago

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Cover art, photos and screenshots

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Reviews

2010's other Facebook movie...

13 years, 7 months ago at May 19 13:22

PvtCaboose91

7 votes

"I thank god for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn't have somebody nipping at our fin. "

If you have not seen Catfish, do not read this review. Actually, do not read anything about Catfish - do not skim any plot outlines or watch the theatrical trailer. You should watch this movie as ignorant and uninformed as you possibly can. All you need to know is... read more

A good movie

11 years, 11 months ago at Jan 12 23:40

johanlefourbe

2 votes

Before reading this, you will get the usual warning... If you haven't seen the movie yet and you have any intention to see it some day, don't read this review, stop right now and try to avoid any trailers of any piece of information. It's the best way to watch it. Then, the second important thing : was it fake? I honestly don't know but, frankly, I don't really care. Every documentary is more or l... read more

Catfish

13 years, 11 months ago at Jan 4 22:39

lotr23

2 votes

It's AMERICAN TEEN all over again. I don't have that much of a problem if a documentary's authenticity is highly doubtful - sure, it goes against the very definition of the genre, but if the filmmakers can do something interesting with it, even if (in the case of a documentary) it looks like there was a bit of manipulation going on, then that's perfectly fine. What I DO have a problem with is if, ... read more

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Description: In a recent survey, it was discovered that the average American has just four close social contacts, with most having between two and six. Sadly, 12 percent of Americans surveyed had no one with whom they could discuss important matters or spend free time. This social isolation is part and parcel of our contemporary culture. On the other hand, every day we interact with people who are not included in our inner circle: Facebook friends, a waitress, a message therapist, or a coworker. Melinda Blau and Karen Fingerman have characterized these contacts as "Consequential Strangers" in their book of the same title. Consequen In a recent survey, it was discovered that the average American has just four close social contacts, with most having between two and six. Sadly, 12 percent of Americans surveyed had no one with whom they could discuss important matters or spend free time. This social isolation is part and parcel of our contemporary culture. On the other hand, every day we interact with people who are not included in our inner circle: Facebook friends, a waitress, a message therapist, or a coworker. Melinda Blau and Karen Fingerman have characterized these contacts as "Consequential Strangers" in their book of the same title. Consequential strangers may play a minor, limited, or temporary role, but they still make a contribution to the quality of our lives. In addition, the expansion of online communities and social networking sites reveals the yearning we all have to connect to wide variety of people beyond our loved ones. As a result, it seems, we're "in touch" 24/7.

In the documentary feature Catfish, Nev is a 24-year-old photographer in New York City; Nev's brother Ariel Schulman and his friend Henry Joost are filmmakers. The filmmakers are intrigued when Nev is contacted on Facebook by Abby, an eight-year old artist who has sent him a painting she has done of one of his ballet photographs. He is quite impressed with it and curious to find out more about her. So they begin an online correspondence. Abby's mother is very appreciative of what is happening between them. All of this contact with this gifted family in Michigan is surprising to Nev and the filmmakers, who have decided to make a documentary about it.

The real fireworks start when Nev begins to communicate online with Megan, Abby's older sister who takes a romantic interest in him. He is intrigued by a beautiful picture of her and their sexy interchanges via email and telephone. However, when Nev learns some shocking things about Megan, he and the filmmakers decide to pay a visit to her family and find out the truth.

There have been plenty of movies over the years about the foibles, flaws, and fantasies of computer dating services but never a drama as bold as this one which probes the strange things that can take place in our online communications.

In Consequential Strangers, Blau and Fingerman point out that technology has transformed the ways in which we "do" relationships; similar to the telephone, the Internet has greatly amplified our connections. In addition, we often have our private conversations in public. This unusual documentary challenges us to look hard at ourselves and the expectations we have about online relationships. Although we have been raised to treasure the familiar and the comfortable, there is a part of us that craves new and ever more exotic relationships. That's exactly what Nev feels as his romantic connection with Megan comes to dominate his life.

The surprising finale of Catfish is immensely rewarding with its unique blend of zealotry, loneliness, creativity, and genuine emotional catharsis. It proves once again that no matter how sophisticated and complicated our technology becomes, the mystery of the human personality always shines through when we least expect it to.

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Release date: 1 October 2010

Tags: Documentary (16), 2010 (7), 2010s (7), Facebook (5), Technology (4), Relationships (4), Internet (3), Upper Peninsula (2), Human Identity (2), Participatory Documentary (2), Ariel Schulman (2), Henry Joost (2), Fake? (2), (2), Eccentric (2), Michigan (2), Weird (2), New York (2), Art (2), SnP (1)

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Stehako posted a review 6 years, 7 months ago

Smelly Catfish with an Ego

“A small movie starring a big ego and bruised people.

While the main subject becomes irritating by the end of the film, the idea and concept of the film and the blatant commentary on our modern society makes this documentary worth seeing.

And clearly the concept was interesting enough to spawn a television show.” read more

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Exclusive's 2017 Movie Diary (172 movies items)

"16.07.2017 "I thank god for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn't have somebody nipping at our fin." Directors: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman Writer: --- Cinematographers: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman and Yaniv Schulman Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh Cast: Yaniv Schulman, Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost Previous rating: N/A New rating: 6/10"