The Imposter (2012)

“Before I was born, I definitely had the wrong identity. I already didn’t know–I was already prepared not to know who I really was. A new identity with a real passport, an American passport…I could go to the U.S., go to school there, live with that family, and just being someone and don’t have never again to worry about being identified. I saw the opportunity.” – Frederic Bourdin

Number of Times Seen – 1 (4 May 2016)

Brief Synopsis – Documentary about a young man who successfully impersonated a runaway child revealing so much about himself and the family he joined.

My Take on it – I heard about this film a few years back, but for some reason had little to no interest in seeing it.

I came across it again recently and decided to give it a try because the premise actually began to appeal to me.

This is a documentary that is meant to raise more questions than answers, so one should know going in that you will not have everything put in a simple box by the time it is over.

This is frustrating, but also fascinating because it gives the viewer so much to ponder after the movie itself has ended.

Watching the interviews with Boudin himself, the viewer really doesn’t know what to think or even believe because we see many sides of him just in the various interviews.

He is both cold-hearted in some, yet convincing as a victim in others and we have trouble not believing his manipulations.

I’m still in shock that such a thing can happen and that in and of itself is so mind-boggling.

Bottom Line – Very harrowing tale that raises so many questions that even the audience doesn’t know what to think. Watching Bourdin is quite scary because he is both cold -hearted and yet so convincing during his manipulations. So interesting and mind boggling that such a think could actually happen. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Layton said of Bourdin: “He invites sympathy. He has this childlike quality about him, and he can be very charming. And at other times he can be quite repellent, because he can be remorseless and you’re reminded about what he did. So as a filmmaker, I was asking, How can I find a way of getting the audience to experience a bit of that?” (From Wikipedia)

Rating – Globe Worthy

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