Directed by Felicity Morris, “The Tinder Swindler” is a British true crime documentary about an immoral con artist who used the eponymous social media app to swindle numerous women out of millions of dollars. It is currently available to stream on Netflix.
The documentary follows the perspective of three women: Cecilie Fjellhøy, Pernilla Sjoholm and Ayleen Charlotte. Each woman tells her personal story of her involvement with Simon Leviev, an Israeli con artist posing as the son of a wealthy diamond magnate. After charming his marks with lavish gifts and international trips, Leviev would spin a tale of imaginary “enemies” targeting his life which would inevitably end with him requesting large monetary sums. This string of scams eventually puts him on the radar of a group of intrepid journalists, who go to great lengths to expose Leviev for the fraud he is.
Morris is able to showcase the sheer depth of the crimes committed while maintaining a sensitivity to the women sharing their stories. The scenes of reenactment interspersed with interviews and displayed text messages avoid sensationalizing or romanticizing the titular con artist, preventing any potential sympathy the audience may feel for him. This is reinforced by the use of Leviev’s actual phone calls, displaying just how manipulative and rageful he could be toward the women he conned.
Editor Julian Hart complements Morris’s direction by making sure “The Tinder Swindler” moves at a smooth pace. After quickly establishing Cecilie’s personality, the depiction of her courtship by Leviev is portrayed with precisely spliced together graphics that visualize the documentary’s exploration of social media.
After 20 minutes of laying the foundation of Cecilie’s story, the film wisely chooses to introduce Pernilla. Rather than depict each interview sequentially, Hart interweaves each of the experiences together which allows the audience to grasp the real-time sequence of events. On top of painting a clearer picture of the narrative, this choice allows viewers to equally form a connection with each of the subjects and ultimately produces a more engaging story.
