Growing up, identity is one of the central themes associated with being human. While the idea of analyzing identity is mostly associated with philosophy and psychology, filmmakers have often tried their hands at examining the concept, notably its associated concern of being an imposter.
RELATED: 10 Underrated Movies About Con Artists
An idea that cuts right to the heart of the viewer's sense of self, the feeling of being an imposter is a mostly universal one. The imposter sub-genre is a fan favorite whether for laughs in comedies, clever plots in con artist films, or to raise tension in undercover spy movies.
'Catch Me If You Can' (2002)
.jpg "10 Great Movies About Imposters That Prove You Fake It Until You Make It (1)")
Catch Me If You Can is Steven Spielberg's most rewatchable film. A mix of biopic, comedy, drama, crime, and adventure, the movie has a bit of something for everyone. A loose biography of the life of Frank Abagnale Jr, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the young con artist who supposedly posed as a pilot, doctor, and prosecutor shortly after his 19th birthday.
The tagline of the film, "The true story of a real fake," clearly informs the audience about the fraudulence the film's protagonist will uphold. DiCaprio is truly very good in the film, natural in the scenes that require charm, and surprisingly clever when he needs to turn it up a bit. Holding a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Catch Me If You Can is one of the defining imposter movies of all time.
'Parasite' (2019)
The first ever non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, Parasite received all the praise imaginable. Bong Joon-Ho's black comedy social thriller was a culmination of themes and ideas he had been circling in his previous films. Grossing over $250 million, the film covers a struggling family who infiltrates the lives of a wealthy one.
The movie is not about imposters but uses the idea as a narrative device to speak to the themes of class conflict and social inequality. Unlike other thematically audacious films, Parasite is not muddled about its message. While viewers can choose to study the film's interpretations more in-depth, Parasite also works as an energized, thoughtful thriller.
'Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993)
Mrs. Doubtfire's esteem as one of Robin Williams's best comedies has only grown since its release. A huge sensation at the time, the film also gathered mixed reviews, but more recent retrospectives have seen it in a more positive light. Based on the book Madame Doubtfire, the movie is about a divorced dad who disguises himself as a housekeeper in order to spend more time with his children.
RELATED: From Genie to Nanny, Ranking Robin Williams' Greatest Movie Performances
Now seen as a classic, the film was ranked 67th on AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs. The movie, building on predecessors like Tootsie and Some Like It Hot, uses the trope of imposter disguise for comedic effect. Mrs. Doubtfire is amusing, warm, and a touchstone 20th-century comedy on the ideas of family and divorce.
'Six Degrees of Separation' (1993)
One of the most flawless transitions from stage to screen, Six Degrees of Separation is an uncommonly literate and sharp mystery-comedy drama. Based on John Guare's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, the film stars Will Smith as a young, injured man who arrives at the doorstep of a New York couple claiming to be a friend of their children.
Whip-smart, the film expertly scrutinizes the psyche of both Paul, the imposter, and the socialites whose lives he invades. The acting is first-rate, with Smith being equally credible as book-smart and street-smart. The movie is also a penetrating inspection of young men, often alluding to Catcher in the Rye, both overtly and subtly. However, Six Degrees of Separation is no phony.
'The Importance of Being Earnest (1952, 1992, and 2002)
Oscar Wilde's satirical comedy of errors is one of his finest works, leading many filmmakers to try their hand at adapting it to the screen, each to varied success. Set in Victorian England, The Importance of Being Earnest circles around gentlemen who attempt to maintain fictitious personae to escape the social obligations of the time.
The play has been adapted three times. The first, in 1952, was the most critically successful, with most of the praise going to the cast. Another adaptation was done on a low budget featuring an all-black cast in 1992, which received a limited release. The most recent adaptation came in 2002, which garnered a lukewarm reception. Still, Wilde's farce of facades is funny to this day.
'Tootsie' (1982)
Nominated for nine Oscars, Tootsie is seen as one of the foremost comedies of the 1980s. Deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress, the film is a throwback to a kind of old-school Billy Wilder film. Directed by Sidney Pollak, the film follows an unemployed actor who disguises himself as a woman to get a job.
RELATED: 10 Funniest 80s Rom-Coms, Ranked
Tootsie uses physical masquerade to high comedic effect but is also bolstered by its affability and careful balance. The film has gone on to continued acclaim, ranked by AFI second on their 100 Years...100 Laughs list and spawning a musical adaptation in 2018. Released over 40 years ago now, Tootsie is a throwback that is enduring.
'The Hoax' (2006)
Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom has become one of the most accomplished directors of the past 25 years. Most of his films can be a little saccharine; however, The Hoax is an exemption to the rule. The film surrounds Clifford Irving, a writer who falsely claims to have worked on the autobiography of reclusive business magnate Howard Hughes.
The movie was adapted from Irving's own confessional book of the same name, although major alterations from the source material were made. Up to that point, Hughes had been a well-established figure in films such as Melvin and Howard and The Aviator, while Irving's story was already somewhat known through Orson Welles's F for Fake. Attractive and beady, The Hoax is a well-told account of one of history's most infamous shams.
'Gattaca' (1997)
Before receiving his Best Original Screenplay nomination for The Truman Show, Andrew Niccol had already proven himself to be a thoughtful mind with Gattaca. Although a box office bomb, the high-concept sci-fi had all the action, intelligence, and star power to be a hit like 12 Monkeys or Minority Report. The film centers on a genetically "inferior" man who assumed the identity of a man with paraplegia to achieve his goal.
While it wasn't a commercial success, the film is commended and often cited in reference to the depictions of genetic discrimination and reproductive technology in film. The venture of the film's protagonist, Vincent, to fit in makes for great tension throughout the film but also speaks to the larger feelings of alienation and inferiority that strikes a chord in audiences.
'Victor/Victoria' (1982)
A remake of the 1933 German picture of the same name, Victor/Victoria, is one of cinema's classic musical romps. Directed by Blake Edwards, known for films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Pink Panther franchise, the film stars Julie Andrews as a singer who achieves fame by pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman.
Nominated for seven Oscars, the film is funny, which is consistently a difficult feat. Well cast, Andrews would receive a nomination for Best Actress and co-stars Robert Preston and Lesley Ann Warren in the supporting categories. A lively comedy, the film was a critical and commercial hit, spawning a Tony-nominated musical in 1995.
'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)
"I suppose I always thought — better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody." One of the great characters in film and literature, Tom Ripley, may be cinema's foremost imposter. Portrayed by numerous, Oscar-winning actors, the most well-known adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith character is The Talented Mr. Ripley, which follows young Ripley's journey to Italy, where he ingratiates himself with a young, wealthy couple.
RELATED: 10 Patricia Highsmith Adaptations to Watch After You've Seen 'Deep Water'
Matt Damon's Ripley is boyish, likable, devilish, and nuanced. He is a conman because he cons not only others but also himself. The film expertly explores the multifaceted layers of the theme of identity, with Damon completely agile as the chameleonic fraud. Perhaps no modern film better expresses living a lie to others and yourself.
KEEP READING: 12 Best Con Movies About Con Artists, From 'Oceans 11' to 'The Producers'
