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The Imposter Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 4.0
    77

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Generally favorable reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 70

    out of 100

    Village Voice Michael Atkinson

    Thick with reenactments and cute cutaways, the movie evolves into a cultural inquisition, following this stranger through the strange land of bad-news America, where the truth is still waiting to be exhumed.

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  • 80

    out of 100

    The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

    One of the most entertaining documentaries to appear since "Exit Through the Gift Shop," a film similarly obsessed with role playing and deception.

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  • 80

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

    This is a train wreck you think you see coming, but no matter how prepared you are the nature and extent of the damage will overwhelm you.

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  • 80

    out of 100

    Variety

    The Imposter makes slick work of its wily subject, using atmospheric reenactments and stark, soul-baring interviews to explore a mind-boggling case of false identity.

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  • 90

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter

    A mesmerizing psychological thriller bulging with twists, turns, nasty insinuations and shocking revelations that might have leapt from the pages of a Patricia Highsmith novel, The Imposter is all the more astonishing because it actually happened.

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  • 91

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    The documentary equivalent of a page-turner.

    Read Full Review

  • See all The Imposter reviews at Metacritic.com

Fan Reviews provided by

4

A CONTEMPORARY HORROR STORY OF A MISSING CHILD, HIS RESURGENCE AND THE UNBELIEVABLE AFTERMATH. by Peneflix
In 1994, San Antonio, Texas 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay disappears, vanishes without a trace; he is blond, blue-eyed, incorrigible, loveably irritating, a bane to his mother and older brother; his sister Carey Gibson, for years, grieves and searches, for her younger, painfully-missed sibling. Almost three and a half years later he surfaces in Linares, Spain... "The Imposter" is an excellent documentary that should be seen for its mesmerizing, psychological analogies; a major news story in 1997, the scenario commences with heart-wrenching testimonials from family members, and a grown-up, dark-skinned "Nicholas"... Long after the credits concluded I sat frozen, wondering how and why this tragedy, travesty occurred; questions unanswered, but cognizant "but for the grace of God" I will never feel the agony of a family ripped asunder, vivisected forever from normalcy; you ache for them, pray for them... THREE & 1/2 STARS!!! ***For full review please visit peneflix (dot) com!!!

2

Monotonous - Save Your Money by rweingard
Perhaps okay for a TV half hour news bit - not ean entire movie! If you know the premises of the movie of a thirteen-year od boy missing and allegedly resurfacing - albeit an "imposter," (all of which you learn from reading reviews ahead) you've seen the entire movie. The documentary style does not lend itself to revealing anything new. Very slow, very boring. Go see "End of Watch" instead.

4

The Imposter by totheleft
This movie evoked a range of emotions - sad, funny, anger, joy. Its believability is unbelievable. Definitely worth seeing if you are into movies like Bernie. I gotta wonder if Texas has the market cornered on strange, quirky, peculiar and extraordinary citizens.

4

by michael9636

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