by Samantha Shuma
This review contains spoilers for Made You Look, reader discretion advised.
The different perspectives that have gone into creating Made You Look are just one element that illustrates the scope of this film. From the interviews, locations and research, there is so much enthralling information. There is education beyond the scandal, we get interesting moments where industry professionals talk about how paintings are authenticated, going as far as doing forensic work on the painting’s pigments. Seeing how far one has to go to have a painting authenticated, it is understandable that fake paintings could have been believed to be real. Considering locations, the filmmakers leave no stone unturned to find answers. They go so far as to track down the artist that forged the works in China, with the painter’s wife coming to the door wondering how they (the documenters) found her address. The amount of hard work and detail that has gone into this documentary is astonishing, and it further enforces how important a scandal like this can be.
Made You Look is a documentary that gets you invested in what is going on. You learn about what is going on, what has happened, and what the opinions are on what went down. There is extensive information in terms of interviews, research and archival footage, and all of it is presented in an appealing and comprehensive way. More than just learning about the scandal, there is a gained understanding and appreciation for art collecting and art authentication. the documentary caught my attention right away and kept me engaged all the way through. Even for those who are not usually interested in documentaries, Made You Look is worth a watch.