A creepy French adult convinces a Texas family he’s their missing son – that plot summary sounds bizarre, right? It is, and the most disturbing part of all is that this is a documentary. I’m not saying The Imposter is the best movie on this site, but it is one I have a very hard time imagining anyone not enjoying.
How could a 23-year-old French adult convince a grieving Texas family that he’s their 16-year-old missing son, despite looking nothing like him, possessing no knowledge of his upbringing, and speaking in a thick accent? How could he fool authorities and keep the charade going while actually living with the family? To reveal any more of the film’s plot would be heresy, and the way director Bart Layton unravels this stunning story is a study in craft and manipulation – I can’t think of a film that captivated me more with its unceasing twists and turns.
The plot is as unbelievable as it sounds, and, more importantly, as creepy and unsettling and disturbing. The Imposters operates at a level leagues above its documentary peers, with wildly effective editing and cinematic reenactments that would rival any Hollywood thriller. It’s ultimately as exploitive of its audience as its protagonists are of one another, but director Layton realizes that even the most gratuitous tabloid saga is rife with the elements of classic mythology – sensational drama and overwrought emotion shaded with psychological and moral complexity.
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