Product Details

• Actors: Nev Schulman, Michigander Abby
• Directors: Ariel Schulman Henry Joost
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Universal
• DVD Release Date: January 4, 2011
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (282 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003Q6D1YW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,046 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Catfish" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The slipperiness of truth and lies on the Internet gets played out in unexpected ways in the documentary Catfish. When Nev Schulman receives a painting based on a photograph of his from an 8-year-old girl named Abby in Michigan, he doesn't realize this is going to lead to a long-distance romance with Abby's older sister Megan… and that this romance, conducted over the phone and the Internet, will lead to something far more troubling. It would be unfair to reveal more details of Catfish, as the process of discovery is one of its pleasures--but even if you do know the sequence of events, the movie's ultimate reward is not the revelation of secrets but the surprising and very human interactions of the movie's last third. While there is a thriller aspect to the movie--and the suspense at points is indeed nail biting--the revelation isn't the bang that Hollywood movies lead you to expect. Instead, Catfish turns sad, unsettling, and sure to inspire arguments about motivations and human nature. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not A Shocking Thriller----"Catfish" Suffers From An Overzealous and Expectation Setting Ad Campaign January 5, 2011

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

As many others, I distinctly recall the marketing campaign for "Catfish" that spoke of this quasi-documentary in thriller-like terminology. I was actually surprised by how wide this movie dropped in its initial theatrical release--most current documentaries don't get a full scale media blitz but instead are relegated to the art house circuit. In many ways, I can already see the negative backlash that this approach has caused by setting up expectations that the actual film had little intentions of fulfilling. It's disappointing, really, in reaching for a broader appeal--perhaps "Catfish" was a bit oversold for mass consumption. "Catfish" is actually a very compelling and entertaining character driven piece and I think that the people who approach it with no pre-conceived notions might find this film has a lot to offer about our media obsession. Where David Fincher's "The Social Network" was the great fictional Facebook movie of 2010, I think "Catfish" stands as an interesting counterpoint in the non-fiction category.

In truth, the less you know about "Catfish"--the better. And perhaps that is the reason behind the mysterious trailer that may have been a tad misleading. The story is extremely contemporary. Anyone who has experienced online networking and dating know the inherent perils in believing everything you read. It's simply not prudent. "Catfish" documents a relationship between a successful New York photographer and 8 year old Abby, an artist in Michigan. Abby sends him a painting of one of his published photos and the two strike up an electronic friendship. His brother and friend start to document this blossoming camaraderie and this forms the initial basis for "Catfish...." Soon, he becomes acquainted with Abby's entire family and even starts a long distance courtship with her older sister Megan. But as things become more intimate, everything might not be entirely copasetic. The film culminates with the boys traveling to Michigan to meet the family that he has been corresponding with for over eight months.

Let me just say this--nothing that they discover is particularly surprising. Modern audiences are certainly astute enough to sort out the central mysteries. What is surprising, however, is the intricacies involved in these mysteries. The film begins as a lark--funny and romantic. It evolves into a darker picture altogether until the end is infused with a sadness and melancholy which was quite unexpected. I, of course, can only speak for myself. I don't think "Catfish" is for everyone and I understand the frustration of viewers who felt the advertising was a bit of a bait and switch. But, in truth, I absolutely loved this movie. Seriously.

There is also an ongoing debate about the veracity of the film--how much was staged and how much unfolded naturally. I will admit that the casual filming style and equipment wouldn't always have lent itself to the full picture and all access pass that the film provides. But there is a real underlying integrity to what is being revealed. "Catfish" struck me as an honest examination about the truths that we need to tell ourselves to get by. I was thoroughly entertained throughout. "Catfish" made me laugh, made me uncomfortable, and made me sad. And just when I made my peace with the characters of "Catfish," the end credit epilogue slapped me back to reality one more time. I am certainly surprised by the depth of passion I have in defending this film from its nay-sayers, but it is a film that will linger in my mind for quite some time. KGHarris, 1/11. Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable January 29, 2012

By S. WATSON

Format:Blu-ray

Having lived near Ishpeming Michigan for many years before moving out east, I knew immediately that something was awry with the photos of the characters. But this movie is so full of interesting and sensitive twists and turns that it is absolutely gripping. I don't for a minute think this was faked ala Blair Witch. It is just too true to be comfortable for most people. Bravo to the filmmakers for following it to the difficult end.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie with lots of suspense November 20, 2012

By Vicky Smith

Format:DVD

After catching their MTV series, I decided to watch the movie and I must say it did not disappoint. You were able to feel Nev's different emotions right along with him, from what seemed like feelings of falling in love to his heartbreak.

This movie had a lot of twist and turns that you will enjoy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars I'LL ALWAYS HAVE PIE FOR YOU June 22, 2012

By Michael TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Amazon Instant Video

This is a film which is able to combine bad photography and annoying Internet social networking. Nev Schulman (Nev Schulman) is being filmed as the topic of someone filming someone. And we know it is real because they start off with a close up of him eating. He meets a family from upstate Michigan on-line (he lives in NYC) and they hit it off really well as they communicate on Facebook, text, and he breaks down and makes a few phone calls. The 8 year old girl paints, the older daughter records music, and mom is a hottie too.

Driving back from Colorado, and congrats to all of you that make it this far into the film, they decide to detour to Michigan to meet the people who he has had an on-line relationship. All is not what it seems. And while there is a twist, rest assure the boredom doesn't end. At this point the movie would have been better if the family wore fake looking rubber masks and were cannibals.

When a DVD cover must use single words cut out of a review to promote itself, that generally means they couldn't use the whole statement without making themselves look bad. Intrigue? Suspense? Provocative? Give me a break.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs sex, or nudity. Adult sex talk.

25 of 34 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars So where does the truth end and the film begin? May 7, 2011

By A. Whitehead TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

In 2007, a photographer in New York City, Nev Schulman, was surprised to receive a parcel in the post containing a painting. It was a painting of a picture of his that had been published in The New York Sun some weeks earlier, and the artist was apparently only eight years old. Intrigued, Schulman began corresponding with Abby, the artist, online under her mother Angela's supervision. His brother Ariel and friend Henry, amateur film-makers, smell a potential good story here and begin filming Nev's interactions with Abby's family by phone and computer. Nev also comes into contact with Abby's family members via Facebook, particularly her 19-year-old sister Megan, whom he starts 'Internet dating'. Since the family live many hundreds of miles away in Michigan, the chances of meeting them soon do not appear to be likely.

Whilst working on a project in Colorado, the trio start to find holes in the story presented to them. Megan, who sings and plays guitar and piano, sends Nev some songs she's recorded, but he finds that they are recordings of songs from YouTube. Googling reveals no mention of Abby's artistic skills in local media. Nev becomes concerned over being scammed, and they decide to detour to Michigan on the way home to learn the truth.

Catfish is an interesting film that was released last year after proving a storm at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. It then triggered a significant wave of controversy, though we'll come to that in a moment. It's easy to see why the film has been praised: it's a zeitgeist-capturing movie about people who forge relationships online where the details presented by the parties involved may be exaggerated or indeed fabricated altogether.... The final act, exposing what's really going on, subverts audience expectations about the motivations of those involved. As a piece of film-making, Catfish is entertaining, intriguing and builds tension towards the moment of revelation (though it has to be said that this is a quiet, non-flashy film; the trailer suggesting it's a 'thriller' is totally inaccurate).

The film also asks an important question of the audience, one that may or may not have been intended by the film-makers. The film is about people passing themselves and a situation off as something that is rather different to what is presented. So, it is perfectly logical for the viewer to ask, "Okay, but what about you guys? Is this really what happened? Are you manipulating us?" If the film-makers had done this deliberately and perhaps avoided answering the question in promotion, it would be a fascinating and metatextual statement on presentation, perception and motivation in a world where it's all too easy to manipulate these things online for an intended purpose or effect. Unfortunately, the film-makers have spent a fair amount of time saying that everything in the film is 100% the truth and nothing has been changed or manipulated.

This claim is immediately challenged by a scene in which Nev and his compatriots arrive at the address supplied by Megan, intending to surprise her, only to find the house abandoned and uninhabited. Nev opens the postbox (rather dubiously; interfering with the mail in the USA is a federal offence) and finds it stuffed full of the letters and packages he's sent to Megan during the course of their 'relationship'. However, this is clearly a fabricated scene: the post has 'return to sender' already stamped on it, indicating that the post was delivered, not picked up and sent back to Nev in New York. He then appears to have taken the post back to the address and set the scene up to demonstrate to the viewer the deception of Megan providing a false address.

This in turn leads to the viewer questioning the truthfulness of the entire enterprise. Many tens of thousands of words have been dedicated to questioning every aspect of the film by multiple articles, blogs and even news items on US television, so I'll avoid into delving too far into that, except to note that there seems to have been some very clever manipulation of scenes and chronology going on to present the narrative as it unfolds to us.

The film, taken at face-value, is intriguing and raises interesting questions about Internet-based relationships. However, the fact that aspects of it are clearly manipulated and possibly exploitative (one of the participants has since passed away, something that has indeed been verified, but which makes the situation even murkier) leaves a bad taste in the mouth. But at the same time, the fact that after watching the film the viewer can then go online and read up on all the controversy and draw their own conclusions itself adds another level to the experience: layers of deceit, spin, presentation and impersonation. Talking about the film and seeing how different people interpret it is arguably more interesting than the movie itself.

Catfish (score not really applicable) is a bizarre and thought-provoking film about modern media, manipulation and social networking. Whether you believe all of it, none of it or something between, it definitely raises some very interesting questions. The film is available now on DVD (UK, USA) and Blu-Ray (UK, USA). Read more ›