BAD ACTOR: A HOLLYWOOD PONZI SCHEME -- A Unique and Thought-provoking Look at One of Hollywood’s Biggest Scams

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme sets out to tell the story of Zach Horwitz, a D-list actor under the name of Zach Avery, who was arrested in 2021 for creating a Ponzi scheme that garnered around $650 million. After being sentenced to 20 years in prison, Horwitz's story was well publicized, although the details of his life and lies hadn't been explored in as much depth as this film showcases. While Bad Actor might appear to be your average true crime documentary at first glance, just like Horwitz, there is more that lies beneath the surface.

The film starts from the beginning, with the filmmakers traveling to Horwitz's hometown in Indiana, where they trace his high school football career to his time in college studying psychology and then his brief stint as a health food restaurateur. As they follow his history, they unravel discrepancies in what he's told the press, friends, and investors. As is shown in the documentary, Horwitz claims that he tore his ACL while training for college football during an interview, which is almost word-for-word from a scene in Point Break.
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Produced by NEON, the documentary utilizes talking head interviews with friends and former classmates of Horwitz, FBI agents, psychologists, and even investors who were victims of the scheme. Although Horwitz himself doesn't appear in the film (besides the clips of past interviews and his mediocre acting career that are interspersed throughout), actors portray him and his former wife to — almost satirically — showcase the absurdity of Horwitz's life and actions. In some ways, the documentary feels more like a mockumentary reminiscent of Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal. That's not to say that the film doesn't capture the emotional depth of the aftereffects of Horwitz's actions, but the hilarity of his acting chops, as well as the juxtaposition of his lies versus reality, can't help but add to the tone of the film.

Even though the documentary and its participants aren't necessarily forgiving of his actions, those familiar with Hollywood's cutthroat nature and "foot-in-the-door" mentality can understand what may have led Horwitz to do what he did. After all, he spent a good portion of the money he earned from the scam to star in movies featuring well-known celebrities such as Olivia Munn and Brian Cox. The rest of the money he spent on things to make himself appear more successful, such as private jet rides to set and a $6 million house in LA.
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Ultimately, the main theme of A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme is understanding how and why people find themselves caught up in these schemes. As interviewees in the film discuss, most don't understand how easy it is to fall for scams like the one Horwitz conducted, especially since he was seen as a successful and charismatic person who had insider knowledge of the industry. Through clever twists and emotional beats, Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme excels in making the audience understand just how easy it is to be duped.

Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme is screening at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, which runs June 5-16 in New York City.
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Rating: 4/5