Travis Simpkins: The Forger (2014): John Travolta, Monet and a Heist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Saturday, November 7, 2015

The Forger (2014): John Travolta, Monet and a Heist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Directed by Philip Martin, and written by Richard D'Ovidio, The Forger (2014) has been met with mostly negative reviews. The story finds a Boston forger/thief, released early from prison to spend time with his ailing son, forced to pull off a Monet forgery and museum heist to repay the crooks that facilitated the bribe to ensure his release. Unlike most films concerning art forgery, this film gives little evidence or glimpses of the forger's abilities before his completing the fake Monet… a small detail, but it makes a difference in terms of plausibility and skill. The museum heist scene is interesting, but too brief. The plot would've benefitted if greater focus had been placed on Art Crime, and less on melodrama. On the plus side, the scenes shot inside the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston are superb, capturing many of the recognizable MFA galleries. The artist hired to capture Claude Monet's painting technique does a good job. John Travolta is good, but miscast as the forger. Christopher Plummer is wonderful and steals the show as the Irish grand dad. The supporting cast is hit or miss, including Abigail Spencer, Jennifer Ehle, The Sheridan, Victor Gojcaj and Boston comedian Steve Sweeney. The film is worthwhile for Art Crime aficionados... just fast forward to the forgery and heist scenes.