Post by Ms Harriet Vane on Jul 3, 2011 6:37:03 GMT -5
I just saw this on DVD last night. I'd avoided it while it was in theatres because I'd heard two different types of reviews: people breathlessly praising it's brilliance and how everyone should be careful who they trust online, and people saying it was probably all fake and therefore crap. I like a good fake doco, and I dislike people demonising online relationships of any sort, so I assumed it was about someone who thinks he's met a hot chick online and it turns out it's a hairy old man instead, beware the trappings of modern life, blah blah etc.
I was pleasantly surprised. I figured out the ending a mile away, as anyone who is aware of all internet traditions would. But it was pretty sensitive towards the people on the other end of the Facebook profiles, and I think that knowing the probable result made me more interested to meet them at the end of the doco.
And yet I'm not surprised that people accused it of being a fake documentary. The main guy Nev's has a brother who seems like a bit of a dick, not really caring about how Nev feels as long as he gets some interesting footage. I also felt he was the least empathetic of all the people we meet. And in the interview with Nev and Rel and Henry (the other director), Rel seems like he just says what he thinks people want to hear. Nev himself, and Henry, seem much more sincere and honest.
Plus there's the usual issue of people not believing stories of unusual happenings unless they've personally experienced it first. I think MeFites wouldn't have that problem.
Anyone else seen it?
I was pleasantly surprised. I figured out the ending a mile away, as anyone who is aware of all internet traditions would. But it was pretty sensitive towards the people on the other end of the Facebook profiles, and I think that knowing the probable result made me more interested to meet them at the end of the doco.
And yet I'm not surprised that people accused it of being a fake documentary. The main guy Nev's has a brother who seems like a bit of a dick, not really caring about how Nev feels as long as he gets some interesting footage. I also felt he was the least empathetic of all the people we meet. And in the interview with Nev and Rel and Henry (the other director), Rel seems like he just says what he thinks people want to hear. Nev himself, and Henry, seem much more sincere and honest.
Plus there's the usual issue of people not believing stories of unusual happenings unless they've personally experienced it first. I think MeFites wouldn't have that problem.
Anyone else seen it?