The Imposter is a 2012 British documentary film about the 1997 case of the French confidence man Frédéric Bourdin, who impersonated Nicholas Barclay, a Texas boy who had disappeared at the age of 13 in 1994.
Bourdin, who turned out to have a long record of impersonating various different children, real or imaginary, embellished his claim to be Nicholas by alleging that he had been kidnapped for purposes of sexual abuse by Mexican, European, and U.S. military personnel and transported from Texas to Spain. His impersonation fooled several officials in Spain and the U.S., and he was apparently accepted by many of Nicholas' family members, even though he was seven years older than Nicholas, spoke with a strange accent, and had brown eyes and dark hair rather than Nicholas' blue eyes and blond hair. The impersonation was eventually unearthed as a result of the suspicions of a private investigator, Charles (Charlie) Parker, and an FBI agent, Nancy Fisher. Bourdin subsequently made a full confession, and in the movie he elaborates on the various stages in his impersonation.
The film raises, but does not resolve, the question of how the family came so readily to accept the impersonation. Parker, Fisher and Bourdin himself suggest, but cannot provide conclusive evidence for, the possibility that some in the family may have known more than they revealed about (or even been directly implicated in) Nicholas' disappearance, in which case his purported "reappearance" could have proved convenient from their point of view.
Because many of the events depicted in the film were not filmed when they happened, the film re-creates some of them with actors.
The film is based on Sachs' own past relationship with Bill Clegg, a literary agent who published his own memoir about his struggles with addiction, Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man, in 2010.
Erik (Thure Lindhardt), a Danish artist, meets up Paul (Zachary Booth), a lawyer, after having phone sex in his apartment in New York. Clearly attracted to one another, they instantly share an intimate moment and have sex. While Paul is at work, Erik is more focused on his film career and simultaneously dates another man, Russ (Sebastian La Cause) whom he is attracted to. While with Paul, Eric shares his past relationship about how he broke up with his ex-boyfriend Paolo, who has AIDS. Erik confides to his friend Claire (Julianne Nicholson) on how he is happy now with Paul than he was with Paolo. Meanwhile, Paul shares Erik about his drug addiction and gets Erik high. Paul later sees his ex-girlfriend while in an art gallery with Erik. (Paul was closeted before meeting Erik) Paul goes to talk to his ex without Erik, although Erik persuades to let him introduce them to her. Erik later learns that he is HIV-negative while calling his doctor on the phone.
After a surprised birthday party of Erik, courtesy of Paul and Erik's family member, Paul finally catches Erik talking to another guy in the street. While confronting Erik about this, Paul argues with him but they somehow manage to get over it. Erik, away from home to make a film, feels desolate and does his phone sex routine. However, he is startled when he coincidentally calls Paul's phone. Erik is left upset. Back in New York, Erik argues again with Paul but they manage to rekindle in the night. While Erik is finishing his documentary film, he tends upon an unconscious Paul, apparently from his drug and alcohol habit, outside their apartment. Paul is sent to rehab and states that Erik ruined his life. Erik goes to gay club and ends up hooking with another man, Igor (Miguel del Toro).
With Paul's release from rehab and his success on his film, Erik assumes everything would be better. Erik's life is rocked when he learns that Paul hasn't been home while he was away for work. However, Erik gets a call from Paul and tells him to visit him in his hotel. Erik gets confused as to why Paul is acting such, since Paul hasn't improved during his stint in rehab. With Erik's conviction to go home together with him, Paul stays and hires a male prostitute who he could have sex with while Erik watches on. Erik goes to Russ' place and presumably have sex with him, in retaliation for what Paul has done.
After a few years, Erik meets Paul at a diner where both seem better than before. He then invites Paul to stay back with him at his apartment to which Paul agrees, but only to avoid having sex before going to sleep. Spending time in countryside, Erik asks Paul how he feels about their relationship only for Paul to turn aggressive and having Erik choose whether or not he would break up with him. Erik tries to beg Paul to stay with him but Paul wants to move on and allows Paul to go back to New York.
Erik visits Paul in his new home where Paul recounts of the good times they had together. He walks Paul to work and Erik admits that he still loves him although Paul is skeptical. Paul hugs Erik and tells him to be well.
