Ma mère l'arnaqueuse

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.

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!

Well. This is a toe-curlingly agonising watch!

Con Mum is an above average con story documentary.

A vulnerable man and his partner are expecting a baby, when an old woman comes into their lives seemingly out of nowhere. What unfolds is a story of mind-boggling amoral manipulation, greed and financial destruction. No spoilers.

The power of this show comes from the honesty of the real-life protagonists in front of the cameras. All of them, except one. We really feel for those on the receiving end, especially and particularly the vulnerable man and his family. It's appalling to watch. Shredding. Chilling.

Even so - we learn a whole lot about one of our human conditions: the need we have to want to believe. Once a scammer knows this vulnerability about us - they have us.... That's what's happened here in Con Mum.

Recommended.

We are used to seeing Romance scams and other types of scams but this, is different. You have to put yourself in Graham's shoes just as one would for people who were given up for adoption and yearning for that missing part of them. Unlike romance, this, is biological and hard to understand unless, you have grown up without one or both biological parent(s).

Cannot believe that woman at that age is still scamming. Certain, has done so all her life. Poor Graham.

As for those wondering why Graham seemed so non-chalant narrating the story, he has been through a lot and i wish him and family well.

Con Mom had potential - the story is wild, the production isn't bad, and it's the kind of show that should pull you in easily. But there's one thing I just couldn't get past: Heather Kaniuk.

She plays one of the main characters, but her voice is so painfully forced - like this fake, low, raspy tone that sounds like she's trying way too hard to be intense or mysterious. It's not natural, it's not engaging... it's just ugh. Every time she speaks, it completely takes me out of the story. It feels like a parody of a true crime character rather than a believable performance.

I'm sorry, but it's genuinely one of the most irritating and frustrating vocal performances I've ever heard on a show. It's killing the vibe entirely.

I wanted to like it, but I just can't sit through it with that voice constantly dragging things down.