New film about forgers is 'Miami Vice' for the art-world crowd

"A fake is a copy, she tells them, and a forgery is a work made in the style of an artist and based on a work by that artist. Both gambits involve deception."

"Young Chinese American siblings Coco and Raymond Zhang have a scheme to paint landscapes from the early 20th century and sell them as authentic works under thick coats of varnish. So far, they have worked with a local fence named Pedro."

"She is convincing enough to fool a credulous dealer (played by T.R. Knight of Grey's Anatomy) who doubles his cash offer to $20,000 for works that Coco painted. Coco's brother Raymond (Brandon Soo Hoo), who observes that deal, is a beach-table waiter passing himself off as a banker when he can—another twist on the notion of forgery."

"He wants the brother-sister team to create a new collection. They find an art consultant unperturbed by their scam to represent them. The film's dusky palette and pulsing soundtrack of loud cars and loud music echo the mix of style, risk and romantic danger that fueled Miami Vice for so many years."

An FBI agent explains that a fake is a copy, while a forgery is a work made in an artist’s style and based on a work by that artist. A crime thriller set in South Florida follows Chinese American siblings who paint early 20th-century landscapes and sell them as authentic works using thick varnish. They work with a local fence and run cons that include posing as grieving relatives to sell paintings to a dealer. Their scheme expands when they meet a wealthy heir whose family art collection was destroyed by a hurricane and rats. An art consultant represents them despite the scam, while the film’s noir lighting, Miami atmosphere, and high-energy soundtrack reinforce the risks and danger.

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