The forger (2012) - tricked promotion

The forger (2012) has quite the interesting poster on imdb. This one:

Now, my first instinct is some kind of National Treasure movie. If that’s not the case. Maybe, something like that TV-show relic hunter. And even if that’s not the case, the title at least promises me something like a thriller about an art-forger. The art-forger part is right, the thriller aspect not so much.

Nothing in the title and poster tells me anything about what this movie is about.[1] If they kept the (I think) original title and poster of Carmel-by-the-sea –at least- I wouldn’t have to shift my expectations twenty minutes into the movie.

Also, for a movie titled the forger you see very little forgeries going on. You only see Josh paint in three short scenes. Carmel-by-the-sea would have been a better title.

Now, I would have liked it better if I wasn’t expecting a rollercoaster ride. But, regardless of the title or the poster, is it a good movie?

It’s a slow drama that tries to tell a sweet morality tale. It isn’t good. But it isn’t awfully bad either. It is just bland. You’ve seen it all before, done better.

The script isn’t the best in the world.[2] You see most of the actors struggle with the boring dialog and character choices (honestly? A guy attacks you twice and you still want him to date your sister?). The camera makes all the paint-by-number choices you expect (including an annoying crane-shot at the end). The music appears to be lifted straight out of a videogame. And the main story doesn’t really know whether it wants to stay focused on the main characters troubled life or the crime element.

But there are gems hidden in the film. The landscape is beautiful. I liked the (few) paintings and the art during the credits. Pretty much every character is a sweetheart at heart (even the villain is likable). And the great, wonderful, Lauren Bacall graced us with her presence for the last time before she left this world.

It’s one of those movies that are promoted entirely wrong. But when you look at the film for what it is you can understand the white lie why the movie poster has the two young stars front and center. But it remains a lie just the same.

Fun fact: according to the credits - Hayden’s younger brother is in it also (playing an annoying kid who somehow believes he can take on kids twice his size). As are Clint Eastwood’s (now ex) wife and his son from a previous marriage. Quite the family gatherings going on.

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[1] Apart from the fact that Josh Hutcherson and Hayden Panettiere are in it. But to be honest Hayden doesn’t have an awful lot more to do than be pretty. She’s great at that –mind you- but she can take on meatier parts. 
[2] It’s always a danger sign when a movie uses a voice over right at the beginning, especially if it is the main character (there are only a few movies that pulled if off successfully. The Shawshank Redemption being one of them).