(Don't) add as friend

The other Facebook film is a reference that doesn't even begin to tell the story of Catfish. This documentary style film grips you for its running length of 1.27 hours

The other Facebook film is a reference that doesn't even begin to tell the story of Catfish. This documentary style film grips you for its running length of 1.27 hours

Catfish (2010) opens with protagonist Yaniv Schulman, who has been dating a girl he met on Facebook for eight months. That, brother Ariel Schulman and close friend Henry Joost, decide, is interesting enough to document.

They are right.

So, what's the film about? New York-based Yaniv is befriended by child artist Abby, who likes his photography and adds him on Facebook.

Soon, he is introduced to her sister, 'singer' Meghan Pierce, in Michigan. Cyber sparks fly, writing on each other's walls turns to texts and then to long conversations. It all goes smoothly enough, and Joost and Ariel get it all on film with their handycams.

It's when a smitten Yaniv is busy cropping images to make a portrait of his sweetheart that he realises that the song Meghan sang to him is in fact, a rip off Youtube. Confused, Yaniv wonders if he's actually been serenading a burly guy across the world. "Does Megan even exist?" say the cameramen, who are also part of the dialogue that carry the plot forward.

With a vengeance, they decide to drive across the country and confront the perpetrator. Will it be an evil genius or just a sick pervert?

Yuppy directors Joost and Schulman have managed to press all the current buttons, whether it's using Google Maps to guide them on the journey or just using the image-tagging feature on Facebook to introduce you to characters.

Although the film has faced considerable flak about its authenticity, the makers swear by it. It would seem then that the directors stumbled on the story and perhaps in that, lays a smaller praise.

Finally, Catfish ends with a fun fact that explains the analogy behind the title. As for what happens with Meghan, we're not telling.

Available on rent at Sarvodaya, Bandra (W).
Call: 32917133

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!