Soo, I am going to give the ultimate compliment to the Director, Ned, and the fine crew of actors who made this movie, 419.
You got me, and my viewing pal pretty darn good!
I figured it out towards the middle ... when there was so much 'found footage' of the chase, then the plot twist, then the thugs on tape. The victim's escape seemed just too convenient...But up until that point, wow. You got us. I can't say this is a film genre I would regularly enjoy, but this one time, it turned out to be uniquely entertaining.
This mockumentary was very natural and quite convincing. It felt very much like a Dateline episode, and it did cause anxiety. It especially pulled at a parent's heartstrings. Even from the start of the film, where the viewer was informed that there is a sad story of an African cyber-scam to explain; We just did not want anything bad to happen to these nice, normal, typical, young American man/boys, so the tension began to build when they started their flight overseas, and it did not stop.
Furthermore, there was excellent attention to DETAILS, as questions & concerns arose, then were answered. It's the DETAILS that always made Spielburg's films so darn great; and that nearly all modern filmmakers ignore, or graze over. This team of filmmakers did their work.
We never knew there was such a genre of films as 'found footage', so we began viewing this film strictly as American parents of young people, also as Americans truly very-fed-up with the amount of cyber crime being perpetrated upon good-hearted, if-a-bit-gullible, Americans. Therefore, we were the A-1 perfect targets for this epic film-prank.
If I saw this team of actors in person, I would punch them in the arm (mostly gently) for pranking us so adeptly; then I would hug them for their cleverness and worthy work efforts. Good job to all of the crew; but particularly the three young men, and the heartbroken girlfriends, that so organically pulled off the loving friendship act. Nine out ten stars.
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