Catfish Trailer: Is the Controversial Sundance Documentary For Real?

The upcoming documentary Catfish is undeniably well-made, but is it undeniably real? That's the debate that gripped Sundance this past January; here at Movieline, we're notably skeptical, and though the film induced a bidding war before landing at Rogue Pictures, I've talked to several studio suitors who weren't wholly convinced, either. Now the film's trailer has come out, and you can start deciding for yourself.

Did the filmmakers really not know what they were getting into when young Nev struck up an online romance with a girl he'd never met, or did they have every idea along the way of where things were headed, then cannily manipulate the journey for maximum results? Starting September 17, we won't be the only ones having that conversation.

VERDICT: I'd say the filmmakers are guilty... but will general audiences find them innocent?