Nowhere Man - St. Joseph

Wow, this is a really great documentary about, and I hate to say it... the dangers of being online. Even if you are minding your own business and not doing much of anything except be a person, group of people, or in this case, an entire town and community of people... The film is done in a docudrama style so it's filmed in mostly real time as events were unfolding. This gives the film a very earnest and sometimes gritty feeling to it as it takes the viewer on a wild ride that surprises and shocks not only the film makers who are capturing these events, but also the people who are experiencing them first hand, and also us now as the viewer too.

I highly recommend it to anyone who spends time online, it will definitely have you thinking about your own security and privacy online... It's not necessarily the craziest documentary I've ever seen or anything but it's definitely up there in the WTF category.

Saw a screening of the film and was drawn into the story. It is a strange tale of someone who will go to any lengths for attention that was well done and well told. I left feeling somewhat sorry for the subject due to his overwhelming need for attention at any cost yet questioning how someone like him could willingly do so much damage through dishonesty and his own insecurity. It is a sad reflection of a culture more interested in "likes" and appearances than actual content of life offline. I highly recommend the film to anyone. It is a view into the shallow and self serving world of online personas where one only has to pull back the curtain to view Oz as he really is.

There's lots of reasons to like this film but the main reason I'd give it a high recommendation is it highlights a subject matter that affects many lives beyond victims of Matthew Berdyck, the film's central antagonist. Social media has completely changed our lives and the way we communicate akin to the invention of the telephone and the fact that people like Matthew can abuse it to the extent that he does without facing any meaningful consequences is absurd. Director Peter John Ross, a victim himself, does a very good job of seeing the bigger picture past his own grievances and the film ultimately serves as a call to action for change in the modern digital landscape. There must be more accountability and this film is the cold hard evidence. In fact, since Matthew is still unhinged and unchecked, even writing this review is putting me in his crosshairs and I will probably have to endure waves of attacks from him after he reads this, which he definitely will.

This is an amazing view into a tale about the dark side of the internet and how online predators hide in the gaps between the current laws dealing with online harassment. A man is able to troll and harass an a small Missouri town with little to no repercussions. Not only is he able to annoy and bother the citizens who dare stand up to him, but he also become violent and terrifying. As the story unfolds we see that this "troll" hides behind his keyboard to harass and threaten people all across the country. This is cautionary tale about how to engage with people online and how strangers can make your life a living hell with just a computer and an internet connection.

This shocking true story happened in my town, to my friends, and continues today because the laws in our country have yet to catch up to cyber stalkers, and internet predators like the one in this movie. He's been at this for well over 11 years in multiple cities. He just under estimated the good people of Saint Joseph. The subject is not an activist, journalist, or filmmaker like he claims to be. He's not living a fabulous "van life" by choice. He's a homeless grifter, living in his car, traveling city to city to start drama, evade capture, & scam unsuspecting souls who fall for his stories. A truly eye opening cautionary tale. MUST WATCH.