You've heard the story dozens of times already, but this time you see the whole evolution of an internet relationship -- fraught with first excitement, then emotions and desire, then shocking revelations. Fortuitously, Nev Schulman, a New York photographer and Facebook pen pal, shares office space with two documentary filmmakers, his brother Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost. All the twists and turns of Nev's internet, phone and face-to-face relationship with the family and their friends he first meets through his Facebook account are recorded. It all starts when Nev receives through snail mail from an 8 year girl in Michigan, Abby, a painting based on one of his published photographs of dancers. He often speaks by email and phone with Abby's mother,Natalie, and eventually Abby's beautiful sister with whom he falls in loves. Over time, we get to watch the progression of Nev's emotions from enchantment with the precocious, talented and charming Abby, to passion for Megan, all bolstered with actual packages from Michigan filled with cards, notes and artwork, including a lovingly depicted portrait of Nev based on his Facebook photo. The outcome of his relationship with the various family members could be predicted, but is still surprising, as are his reactions to their various actions. This is a fascinating cautionary tale of how 21st century, plugged in, laptop and palm device toting people conduct their relationships. Wish I could say more about it, but don't want to ruin the act of discovery the audience goes through with Nev as he and his cohorts learn more about human frailty, loneliness, desperation and imagination.
I couldn't figure out why Nev wasn't already taken. Not only is he desirable for the standard reasons: young, handsome, healthy, artistic, earning a living, and seems to be a really good man, but be lives in one of the biggest cities in the world. He's surrounded by all kinds of women, literally millions of women. Because of his profession, he meets hundreds of beautiful, talented and intelligent women. Why is he traveling thousands of miles to meet someone he has fallen in love with from a distance? Is Nev flawed in some way that his brother is too close to see and expose on film? Or are people as a society no longer able to form relationships without an Internet crutch? Is that the deeper, hidden message in the film? How many photographic subjects has Nev not thought of as possible mates who may have been? How many has he met at parties, sat near in restaurants, brushed by in the subway, even been introduced to by his mother that he has ignored because he didn't meet them through Facebook?
Catfish
Directors: Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost
Central character: Nev Schulman
Time: 94 min.
Rated: PG-13
Opens in San Francisco on September 17
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