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The Imposter

Play trailer Poster for The Imposter R 2012 1h 35m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 119 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Filmmaker Bart Layton chronicles the tale of Frederic Bourdin, a con artist who seemingly tricked a Texas family into believing he was a relative who disappeared years earlier.
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The Imposter

The Imposter

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Critics Consensus

Despite its true-crime trappings, The Imposter is an utterly gripping and sometimes heartbreaking documentary thriller cleverly told with narrative flair.

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Critics Reviews

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Brad Newsome Sydney Morning Herald 09/19/2018
Director Bart Layton pieces together a story you wouldn't believe if it wasn't true. Go to Full Review Tom Charity Sight & Sound 08/30/2017
More than anything it's Layton's storytelling acumen that impresses - the movie unfolds like a psychological thriller, and in the second half effects a chilling twist on its own inherent implausibility. Go to Full Review Rick Groen Globe and Mail 10/12/2012
3/4
In the annals of forged identity flicks, this is a towering Everest, dwarfing the deceivers in the likes of Catch Me If You Can and F for Fake. Go to Full Review Justin Brown Medium Popcorn 06/16/2025
4/5
While entertaining and informative, this documentary did leave a lot of questions unanswered. It's an effective documentary but I wish it provided more clarity on the story of this missing kid. Go to Full Review Brandon Collins Medium Popcorn 06/16/2025
4/5
This was surprisingly entertaining. The story is absolutely bonkers. I do wish it had more of a definitive ending. Go to Full Review Diana Tuova Spotlight on Film 08/09/2024
4/5
Layton’s documentary lives up to the incredulous material. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Faiz D @RT95588871 05/13/2025 The Imposter is the best psychological thriller I've seen in recent memory. It is a truly bizarre and unbelievable story told in a compelling way. See more Rodney G @Rodknee 07/19/2024 Unforgettable. I watched this years ago and still think about it. Very well made! See more Jeffrey P @vanillavoodoo1 11/12/2023 I know it is based on a true story but I had a hard time suspending disbelief. How could anyone think this is the same kid after less than four years? More than anything it is a look into the mind of a con artist, a place I don't want to know, I'm skeptical enough already. For me, it didn't really get interesting until I got curious and wanted to see how he got caught... and then a big twist almost happens, but not really. Sort of a real-life Usual Suspects kind of ending. See more 09/25/2023 Proving once again that truth is stranger than fiction! See more wiebe b @wburuma 09/06/2022 A chilling documentary that twists your mind. Who is the real imposter? The pathological liar or the family of the missing boy? See more 07/03/2020 This was a roller coaster . This was shocking . This was a story well told . This was like watching your favorite episode of UnSolVed MySterieS . Well Directed ! A must see . See more Read all reviews
The Imposter

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Cast & Crew

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Bart Layton

Director

Adam O'Brian

Frédéric Bourdin

Anna Ruben

Carey Gibson

Cathy Dresbach

Nancy Fisher

Alan Teichman

Charlie Parker

Ivan Villanueva

Social Worker

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The Imposter

The Imposter (2012) The Imposter (2012) The Imposter (2012) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Bart Layton chronicles the tale of Frederic Bourdin, a con artist who seemingly tricked a Texas family into believing he was a relative who disappeared years earlier.
Director
Bart Layton
Producer
Dimitri Doganis
Distributor
Indomina
Production Co
A&E IndieFilms, 24 Seven Productions, Film 4
Rating
R (Language)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 13, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$898.3K
Runtime
1h 35m
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