419

"419" is the number of the penal code in Nigeria that makes it illegal to scam someone using the Internet. Hmmm... Maybe you got the e-mail? The one about the million dollars you will receive if you help out this poor fellow who.... Oh, you know.....

This "documentary" submitted by South Africa/USA to the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival has such an outrageous story to tell, it's a relief to hear that it isn't actually true. Instead this World Premier is designed to look like "found footage" a la "Blair Witch Project" or "Cloverfield."

Cameraman/Documentarian Ned Thorne, is one of three fellows who take off for South Africa in hopes they can retrieve $30,000.00 one of them sent to a "pal" he met while filming a commercial there the previous year.

The three Americans are:

• Mike Ivers, an actor who was duped by an on-line scam. Now he's mad and wants to find the conman to try and recover some of the money he lost.
• Scott Kerns is his best friend, a computer geek and loyal buddy. He foots the bill to take his pal to South Africa. His is the most level head and he is understandably skeptical about some of the plans that evolve.
• Ned Thorne is asked to come along and film their exploits in hopes that a documentary might come out of this adventure.

Our friends are immediately befriended by Ezra Mabengeza, a silver-tongued local who promises them he can find the conman out in the townships. As we watch their efforts to find the villain, we have to laugh because everyone they ask always points down the road and says, "He'll know... That guy over there," as we go deeper and deeper into the story. In addition, your loyalties will switch and you will start to feel some aversions you didn't expect.

We also see interviewed for this "documentary," Scott's father, his fiancée, Ned's fiancée and Mike's agent.

Designed like a good documentary, the payoff is right near the end, so don't give up!