After developing an interest in the acting abilities of Josh Hutcherson, following his performance in the blockbuster hit The Hunger Games, I stumbled upon this film and thought it might be of some worth because of the supporting cast and premise of the film. As it turns out, you can't win them all, and no matter how promising it seemed, this film is a vapidly senseless product which only spawns interest because of its featured cast and nothing more.
The story takes place in the historically artistic town of Carmel, California where a fifteen year-old boy named Josh (Josh Hutcherson) has been abandoned by his mother and forced to fend for himself in these harsh and heartless times. Josh, however, happens to possess a rare talent which is his ability to project what he has seen and experienced in life onto a canvas. Art is what keeps him sane and his ability to recreate and complete unfinished artwork is astounding at the least. With nowhere to go and only memories and hope to hold on to, Josh stumbles into a mansion on the cliff overlooking the ocean and finds an art studio in the basement with an unfinished painting displayed on the stand. Josh decides to finish the painting which is modeled on another but as soon as the owner finds the completed product, he is absolutely dumbfounded by the attention to detail and how Josh has captured the essence of the original and maybe even enhanced the effect to some extent. The owner of the mansion happens to be an art dealer called Everly (Alfred Molina), who produces forgeries of famous works and sells them to high-profile figures for an ample amount of money, while simultaneously bringing more exposure to his gallery. He decides to take Josh under his wing and teach him the process of forging a painting from the initial stroke to the aging technique, promising him a future filled with anything he would ever need and much more if he proceeds to take on this profession. Meanwhile Josh has met a girl by the name of Amber (Hayden Panettiere), who is a resident of Carmel and the one person who attempts to understand Josh's predicament and teach him about behaving himself and learning the town's history and culture. He falls for her but she sees how immature he is and is more inclined to be his friend while he sorts out his inner turmoil, rather than develop a romance. Josh however is haunted by his past, using it as inspiration for his artwork and constantly enveloping his thoughts with memories of the dark days which cannot be erased. Concerned about Josh's well-being, his acquaintances in Carmel try everything to take his mind off his miserable past, but will Josh be able to overcome the truth that he tries so hard to avoid and eventually realize his potential to be happy and successful in life?
Eager to see which other projects Josh Hutcherson has proudly graced this year, this has got to be a major pitfall although it is a dramatic piece and is supposed to evoke sympathy towards its characters. Despite its genre, the film seemed overworked and a scrambled mess from the confusing screenplay to the overly dramatic score which didn't contribute any more emotion than it already had. The storyline felt edited to the point of exhaustion in order to fit the time frame of the film, eventually cutting the ending to a simple solution without contemplating and elaborating about what happened to Josh's mother and the connection between Anne-Marie -- played by the legendary Lauren Bacall -- and the business of art forgery. Instead, the film takes a severe turn into the clichéd happy ending where the leading actor ends up with the girl who caught his attention from the beginning. I don't hold anything against an ending like that, but the filmmakers should at least make an effort to put together the rest of the puzzle for their audience and present a well-rounded story with a minimum amount of plot holes before concluding their story. Contrived and made to look like a cheap television movie, The Forger fails to make a connection with the viewer and loses its essence midway through the film with its lack of chemistry between actors, and shaky production values.
The only part of the film which was pleasant to watch would have to be the breathtaking scenery of Carmel which somehow felt refreshing and diverting -- to my relief -- from the disastrous storyline that just dragged on and on. Of course you could see and experience the same beauty by visiting the town itself or just flicking through photos or documentaries about it, but at least that way there's no need to sit through the mediocrity of this film for about an hour and a half when you could be watching something so much better.
I also don't understand why such high-profile actors would take part in this indie flick. Possibly, they might've considered this project as an opportunity to exhibit the history of Carmel while playing characters that seemed to have a depth to them, but on-screen it didn't quite pan out. I then found out that this film was actually shot in 2009 and was only distributed and publicized this year possibly due to the other blockbusters that Josh Hutcherson has taken part in. I admit that it's a clever way to market your film, but it's also a noticeable weakness on the part of the whole crew since it sheds light on the three-year gap that put the film on hold, presumably because of how little substance and value it possesses among the wide variety of indie films which want to claim their publicity based on the meaning of their story and the strength of their overall production, despite their small budget. It's incredibly sad to see that a film like this could be put into the spotlight due to Hutcherson's recent success in other mainstream films, when there are so many other films which are way more satisfactory and entertaining for both the mind and spirit.
On account of these numerous flaws, it was rather difficult to find a worthy message in the jumbled mess of relationships, unrealistic emotion, and overall plot. There was a splinter of a message about the struggles of belonging and our lifelong journey to find a place which makes us feel comfortable and safe despite all the outside chaos and calamity which shake up our world. Carmel is a picturesque example of serenity, but even in paradise you'll find the presence of peaks and valleys in the land as well as its inhabitants. It can also be said that the environment and community we choose to inhabit, can also determine and give character to our personalities and treatment of others, as well as our appreciation and attention to details and the things we possess and hold so dear.
The Forger may be considered as a worthy resort on its initial preview, but I warn you that the title is extremely fitting in this film's case. An absolute ruse in the presence of other genuinely heartfelt and though out pictures, it not only robs us blind, but also sabotages the reputation of the leading actors and actresses who no doubt can perform roles that are so much more challenging and fueled by a cause greater than themselves. Revealing its true colors, The Forger is one big fraud that is unforgivable without a shadow of a doubt because of its arrogance and pretentious nature; if it were an exhibit, I'd want my money back.
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