Con Mum

Oh wait, they don't mean convention? Dang it - no pun intended of course. And all kidding aside - because this is serious stuff. As you can imagine (more than me I assume or if not before then now), this is about someone taking advantage of another human being.

The constellation may be interesting and quite a few things had to go wrong (or right from her perspective) ... it's kind of crazy that people still fall for stuff like this. Mostly either someone gullible or someone who gets way over his (or her) head ... good people also mostly, so I am not trying to put anyone down here ... well done and really well edited. I assume some things have been re-recorded - other than that, really gripping if you let yourself immerse ... and go on this wild ride ... we're outside and can judge differently ... still you would hope some people would fight back more .. anyway let this be a warning!

Graham and Heather are excited about the imminent birth of their child, but their world it rocked, when Graham gets a message from Dionne,who claims to be his long lost mother, and a relative of The Sultan of Brunei, a woman who's apparently hugely wealthy. Dionne is quick to buy gifts for Graham and Heather, but bizarrely she's soon asking for money.

It is a very well made and fascinating documentary, in this day and age where there isn't a single day where there isn't a story about some sort of scam or dodgy scheme, it seems so odd that it can still be happening, but it continues to happen.

The way Dionne manipulated poor Graham was cruel, she really took advantage of that need in him to find love, to find a place of belonging. It took Graham some time to realise what was going on.

I don't know why, but when I think of scammers, I think of attractive, younger people, I don't often think of old ladies, it just goes to show, you should never trust anyone on face value.

It's so incredibly sad to learn that the couple split, they seemed so much in love, so happy, Graham man you should have gone to your wife and new born at Christmas, you can understand why Heather got so angry, mum or not.

What an evil woman, Dionne has done nothing but take from Graham, from start to finish, karma, one can only hope.

It's a fascinating watch.

9/10.

In this gripping film, the intricacies of deception unfold as it reveals how the scammed were, in many ways, willing participants in their own downfall. The direction is sharp, effectively showcasing the receipts of their misplaced trust. One can only hope that the total amount lost pales in comparison to the film's production costs. The narrative cleverly highlights that those scammed were ultimately biding their time, anticipating a payoff upon her demise. While I don't condone scamming, this story serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating that sometimes, those seeking a quick gain get exactly what they deserve. A thought-provoking watch!

While the villain here is obviously the mum, the real villain to me is the son. Like his mum, Graham exhibits no real joy or anger or any genuine emotion. His cold retelling the story, his limp excuses, his emotionless expression, his negligence of his wife and son are all that needs to be told. Like so many people bordering on sociopathy, Graham tells a good tale and the doc makes it seems like he's a good guy, a victim. But he's not. Heather and his son are the real victims.

While the documentary on the surface is kind to Graham, underneath you being to feel the creepiness of the man. It's not just that he and his mum look alike, they are alike in most ways. And that's the true value of the documentary. Unfortunately, not everyone will see through Graham and that's the shame.

(Same could be said for the woeful Peng. He shows this documentary is also a story of the toll of avarice coupled with naivete has on people who put themselves first.)

With all these con related documentaries you always find yourself saying 'how are people so gullible'. Well for the first 20/25 minutes the con seemed plausible, until we find out Netflix are holding back on some of the important information.

The name of the show is a bit of a spoiler in itself. I won't be giving anything away by saying the 'Mum' is a con woman. The story is about how she dupes her 'son' 45 years after she gave birth to him and gave him away as a newborn.

He thinks he's getting the dream reconciliation, where in fact it turns into a nightmare for him and his family.

It's intriguing enough to keep you interested. You probably won't remember it in a years time.