Fake

Fake covers a fascinating topic: art fraud and forgery. There are quite a few good films on this never more interesting phenomenon in the age of corporatized art, when many artists have been driven to become con artists in order to survive. My issue with this particular film is that it feels like the director just learned about the topic and so is excited to share information about it and spends a lot of the dialogue on info-dumping.

To make matters worse, the ending of the film is completely implausible and feels like yet another attempt to surprise viewers with an unexpected twist which is surprising only because it is absurd. No, this would not have happened. Ever.

This is a gem of a movie about a frustrated young artist who turns to fakes to get a payday. Many are willing to turn a careless or blind eye for financial gain and soon he's entangled with a failed gallery owner and then New England mob boss/collector Seamus White invoking an older and possibly meaner version of Whitey Bolger.

Realistic portrayal of the world of galleries and painting. Action moving along all the way with strong setting, plot, as well as a great sound track. Robert Loggia as the crime boss, Fisher Stevens as the lone FBI agent assigned to the art crimes unit, David Thornton as the failing gallery owner, and Robert Clohessy as the son of the crime boss all providing strong characterizations. Where have they been hiding this movie? Gabriel Mann as the young painter soon over his head and Jill Flint as the girlfriend and art expert who can spot the fakes. Blanche Baker a savvy gallery owner not asking too many questions.

Great movie beginning to end especially if you have any interest in the art world.

A very enjoyable movie about a very talented artist who gets luted into becoming a forger. He soon gets involved with the mob and things start heating up. The fine acting and sometimes humorous script is what really makes this really stand out. The artist himself and the gambling, vodka drinking art dealer are very strongly portrayed characters by very talented actors. The insight into the art world and the interesting facts thrown in add greatly to my interest in this film. There is also a pretty decent sound track, one of the songs being Rose Rouge - St. Germain.

Good depiction of the world of art forgery. I worked managing artists for many years, and one in particular did restoration and replicas for numerous museums. Though not a forger themselves, they knew the business and described it pretty much as the movie shows. The former head of the Met estimated that up to 50% of the world's famous paintings are fake.

Acting was excellent, especially liked Thorton as the drunk art dealer and Stevens as the FBI agent. The ending was the only thing that didn't totally work for me. It could have been sussed out more, but it was all and all an enjoyable movie that I'm glad to have watched.