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The Big Fake

Play trailer Poster for The Big Fake 2026 1h 50m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 7 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In Rome in the 1970s, Toni arrives in the city with the dream of becoming a great artist. But his hunger for life, destiny and perhaps even history will lead him to become the greatest of all forgers.
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The Big Fake

Critics Reviews

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Glenn Kenny RogerEbert.com Jan 23
2.5/4
The hair-raising narrative content notwithstanding, the movie doesn’t create much emotional traction. Go to Full Review
Alejandro Lingenti La Nación (Argentina) 1d
3/5
...Castellitto, in a fine performance, portrays [Antonio Chichiarelli] with tact and flexibility, embodying his ambiguities. He is a magnetic character, but also profoundly empty. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Juan Pablo Russo EscribiendoCine 3d
6/10
It doesn't forge a sustained connection with the viewer nor does it take risks in its perspective, but it offers a clear and accessible account of a key period in Italian history. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
John Serba Decider Jan 27
The Big Fake is more period fashion show than intriguing drama. Go to Full Review
Allen Almachar The MacGuffin Jan 27
C+
It plays a song we have heard too many times. It doesn’t give us enough of a reason to go down this familiar path one more time. Go to Full Review
Pramit Chatterjee Digital Mafia Talkies Jan 25
1/5
It had the potential to be one of the most jaw-dropping cautionary tales of all time. Now, it’s going to be chewed up and spit out by the Netflix algorithm into the streaming platform’s ever-growing pit of forgettable films. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Samuele F @Samu_piggy 3h Stefano Lodovichi firma una storia accattivante e priva di veri momenti morti, capace di tenerti incollato allo schermo dall’inizio alla fine senza far pesare la durata. Proprio per questo dispiace vederla relegata alla visione domestica: non è "il film del secolo", ma al cinema ho visto di molto peggio, e questo avrebbe meritato un posto in sala. La scrittura è solida, i personaggi funzionano tutti, anche quelli di passaggio. Le musiche sono centrate, mai invadenti, con un gusto italiano e vintage perfetto. E il finale, inaspettato e quasi ironico, acquista ancora più forza ripensando a una battuta apparentemente innocua ma drammatico con quello sguardo condiviso con Donata e quasi con noi. See more Monica I @Monica460 8h Beautiful movie about friendship, love, and different choices in life. See more Max C @Mozza 1d A beautifully acted, observed, constructed and paced film. Worth watching in original Italian (even if you have to pause sub titles a couple of times not to miss important turns) but definitely worth it as English dub sounded completely flat by comparison. An excellent film well worth the watch. See more Andrea F @AndreaFrancolini 3d Can’t say how this film can be rendered in English and still keep his fashion. Anyhow in Italian is absolutely amazing. See more Pierre B @Pierre_1 4d Residing near Marseille at that time, I lived that event. I even had problems with police as a Canadian sailing into Saint-Tropez from Sardinia shortly after Easter. The movie captures very well the atmosphere in Italie in that era, and the decadence during those years. The tension in Europe and the mess in Italy after the abduction of Aldo Moro had everyone on pins and needles. The forger is only a vehicle to explorence the Italian society of those years: shallowness, idealism, and corruption at all levels of the Italian society. Those are well depicted. What is missing is the limited emotional layers presented through the key protagonist. Maybe that was the purpose in order to concentrate on the overall story. To this day, the Aldo Moro abduction has not been properly resolved, fully explaining the role of the state in his murder. This is a historical piece not an action movie. See more Vince G @Cenzo49 5d Interesting interpretation of historical events. Mostly true, but the fictional twist makes it compelling. See more Read all reviews
The Big Fake

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Movie Info

Synopsis In Rome in the 1970s, Toni arrives in the city with the dream of becoming a great artist. But his hunger for life, destiny and perhaps even history will lead him to become the greatest of all forgers.
Director
Stefano Lodovichi
Producer
Donatella Di Benedetto, Alessia Sinistro
Screenwriter
Lorenzo Bagnatori, Sandro Petraglia
Distributor
Netflix
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 23, 2026
Runtime
1h 50m
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