What sets "Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery" apart is how breezily compassionate it is toward a master deceiver and how damning its tone is toward a greedy art world that allowed him to flourish.

A highly enjoyable look at a career spent duping the art world.

While Mr. Beltracchi is an agreeable raconteur, and is much more knowledgeable than a mere armchair art historian, "Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery" is a case in which a great documentary topic hasn't yielded a great documentary.