It's been said that documentaries are only as good as their subject matter; by that rule, Art and Craft (2014) gets an easy pass. This Kickstarter-funded project tells the story of Mark Landis, a diagnosed schizophrenic who creates convincing counterfeit artwork and, posing as any number of fictional identities (including a Jesuit priest), donates said pieces to nationally recognized art galleries. From Charles Schulz to Pablo Picasso, his ability to realistically duplicate well-known art styles has been a habit since Landis' childhood...but the way he's used this genuine talent has been morally dubious at best, and borderline illegal at worst. But he's broken no laws yet: since Landis isn't making any profit on these convincing fakes, it's tough to build a case against the guy. He's been doing this regularly for more than 30 years, spurned by the untimely death of his father and a strange but understandable addiction to philanthropy, but it wasn't until recently that someone actually figured out his donations weren't the genuine article.

The sleuth in question is Matthew Leininger, an art registrar who worked in Cincinnati in 2005 when his own obsessive eye for detail helped him discover Landis' years of fakery. Multiple donations of identical pieces. At least a half-dozen assumed names. Telltale signs of forgery revealed though careful scrutiny, high magnification, or black lights. Leininger, since fired from his Cincinnati job for his obsessive on-the-clock pursuit of Landis' exploits, takes pride in his apparent one-man crusade ("He messed with the wrong registrar") and occasionally resents it. Having only met Landis once previously, Leininger eventually buries the hatchet by arranging an exhibit of Landis' work along with former Cincinnati co-worker Aaron Cowen. Not only would the elusive forger's work be revealed (exposed?) to a larger audience, but this would all but guarantee a second meeting between the two. There don't appear to be any legal issues involved, just an unlikely relationship between two obsessive men on the same side of different moral compasses.

Art and Craft smartly refuses to play favorites. Co-directors Sam Cullman, Jen Grausman, and Mark Becker give Landis the lion's share of screen time by at least a 2:1 margin, but neither man is painted as anything resembling the blatant heroes or villains that populate typical documentaries. This "play it straight" mentality works to the film's advantage, letting each side share their story without sneaky editing or biased narration swaying audiences in either direction. Small observations are there if you're looking for them, such as the focus on Landis' love of TV dinners: the simultaneous preparation of a microwaved meal and his latest counterfeit warranted a pretty big chuckle from yours truly. But little moments like this don't get in the way of Art and Craft's steady, unobstructed flow: from start to finish, it simply tells a great little story that, despite its low stakes and quiet resolution, feels important on a larger emotional scale.

Though production began on this film nearly four years ago, Art and Craft arrives on DVD less than a year after the Kickstarter campaign ended and roughly four months since its theatrical premiere; all things considered, that's pretty quick turnaround time. Distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories, Art and Craft plays exceptionally well on the small screen, as this disc arrives with a rock-solid A/V presentation and a nice little assortment of quality bonus features. Whether you choose to rent or buy this well-rounded release, seasoned genre fans and curious newcomers will find the low-budget production accessible, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.

From start to finish (and despite the unfortunate lack of a Blu-ray option), Oscilloscope's DVD package serves up strong visuals for this low-budget documentary. Compositions are framed nicely, editing is tight, and only the most dimly-lit indoor scenes represent anything less than a rock-solid presentation. Image detail is strong on many occasions, the natural color palette looks good, and shadow detail is rarely hampered by technical and format limitations. What's more is that, more often than not, TV/film clips and artwork close-ups are presented in their original aspect ratio....and while some are obviously taken from better source elements than others, the lack of excessive zooming keeps additional problems to a minimum. A handful of shots are definitely on the soft side and other moments display trace amounts of noise reduction, but overall this is a fine effort that won't disappoint first-time viewers or established fans.

Audio is presented in your choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 Stereo options, and both were sampled during my first viewing. As expected, there's little difference here: the rear channels are largely reserved for sporadic music clips and occasional background ambiance, but the fact remains that the bulk of Art and Craft features shots of singular speakers in otherwise empty rooms. With that said, the occasional uses of surround activity---Landis' climactic exhibit opening, for example---are appreciated, and Stephen Ulrich's bright score is enhanced by the wider soundstage. Dialogue is easy to understand, save for a few of Landis' wandering responses; luckily, optional English subtitles are included.

Other material includes "Faux Reel" (7:46), an additional featurette named after Landis' exhibit that offers more insight from Leininger and Cowen, as well as an audio-only Q&A Session featuring Mark Landis recorded by an unnamed journalist at the film's NYC premiere in September 2014. Last but not least is the film's Theatrical Trailer (2:15), which does a fine job highlighting its dual focus of "cat and mouse" pursuit and the curious draw of Landis' exploits.

The magnetic and accessible story behind Art and Craft should appeal to anyone halfway interested in its premise, which falls somewhere between unusual character study and cat-and-mouse chase. Those with more than a passing interest or understanding of the art world may get a little more out of it, but Art and Craft's solid construction---aided by smart editing, a jazzy score, and an unobtrusive flow---lets the colorful central figures enjoy most of the spotlight, whether they actually want to or not. Oscilloscope's DVD package serves up a fine A/V presentation and a nice little collection of bonus features, making this a well-rounded release that documentary fans and curious newcomers won't want to pass up. Overall, it's a strong early entry for the new year and comes Highly Recommended.