StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

jonah-white All I can say is, "wow." Some reviewers described the tale as "fascinating." The only thing fascinating about it is how gullible the people involved are.I mean the story is totally outrageous: A blond, blue-eyed American teenager from Texas goes missing. Three years later, the child's family receives a call that he's been discovered in Spain. Except when they're "reunited" with their child, he's suddenly in his early-20s, with dark hair and dark eyes, has no recollection of his past, and speaks with a thick French accent. But this apparently doesn't raise their suspicions. Basically, I spent the entire time wondering how people could be so dense. I kept watching, thinking that there must be some explanation or crazy plot twist. But sadly there wasn't. I also cringe at the thought of this being aired to international audiences and confirming stereotypes about Americans' lack of sophistication and naivete.This might make a viable 20-minute story for Dateline or Inside Edition, but it really doesn't merit 90 minutes. The whole story is just too . . . stupid?

dunfincin I read a few reviews which admonished me not to discover too much about this "mysterious and compelling" story beforehand so I didn't.I really enjoy good documentary films so I watched it with an open mind and was ready to be compelled and mystified but I wasn't in the least.I found it all too obvious. A dark-haired French-speaking young man pretends to be a missing blond-haired English-speaking American boy and is apparently welcomed by his clearly dysfunctional family with open arms.So what's going to happen? He is discovered to be a fake(duh)and the family fall under suspicion and we eventually discover that one of them was a junkie and killed himself shortly after the boy went missing.Not much mystery or compulsion there. We are told of the mesmerising abilities and evil nature of the bogus heir apparent but he is no more than a failed chancer,more intelligent than he wants to appear but not as bright as he thinks he is.I've met plenty of those.The only surprise I found was how unbelievably thick and incompetent the relevant American officials were.It was like watching a thriller where you work out the entire plot in the first five minutes and then sit there bored stiff as it unfolds exactly thus. I'm sorry to review this film so negatively when many people obviously enjoyed it but if you are looking for mystery and intellectual challenges,you won't find them here in my opinion. A well-crafted but spuriously sensational film.

ethanjs-73672 Have you ever wanted something so badly that you'd have believed anything to make it come true? Bart Layton's The Imposter teeters on the border between feature film and documentary. While watching, you'll soon forget that the film is "educational", all connotations with the word considered, and find yourself being pulled in by it the same way a Hollywood production would. Storytelling techniques and seamless transitions create an immersive and thought provoking experience for the viewer, while subtle audio visual layers take your imagination by the hand and lead it into the realm of uncertainty, doubt, and existential questions. All things considered, the darkly curious events depicted in The Imposter among the most compelling you'll learn about in any documentary.Perhaps the most unique and provocative storytelling techniques that Layton uses are the split second, silent close up shots of Bourdin's face, sometimes accompanied by interview recordings, which express feelings of guilt, lament, pride, and joviality. Because of this, despite the number of layers and the depth of importance they hold, Bourdin remains fresh in the viewer's mind as the keystone to the entire story. These images also provide insight to Bourdin's psyche and his attitude towards those events.Everything about the film makes the viewer ask "why"? The "how" is explained to us, but the "why" remains obscure. Very little information is revealed about Bourdin's actual upbringing and several details throughout the film cause us to question his sanity. We question why he would do such a thing, why the San Antonio family allowed him to do it, and if we ourselves have the capacity to replace our own loved ones with strangers.

kosmasp And part thriller also. Plus a bit of fiction or at least acting. I didn't research the film, just watched a bit of the documentary of the documentary on the disc I have, but it looks like this case really existed. Whatever the case, they had to cast someone for the "main role" obviously, who'd say the words that the real person had given the filmmakers in interviews.A really fascinating view and an amazing story (no matter how real it is). It kind of reminded me of this other "documentary" I watched and liked (Exit through the gift shop), though this seems to be genuine as I said. Watch and be amazed by it, either the thrilling part of it or the "funny" moments that occur.