6 Best Mistaken Identity and Imposter Movies

By Vlad Zakh · March 8, 2026

Pretending to be someone else is great for comedy and dread alike. Catch Me If You Can has a young con artist posing as a pilot, doctor and lawyer, The Talented Mr. Ripley has a man slipping into a rich acquaintance’s life, and Dave has a kind-hearted look-alike standing in for the incapacitated President. The Return of Martin Guerre, The Great Dictator and The Prisoner of Zenda round out the six.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 96% Metacritic 75

A brilliant young con artist forges cheques and impersonates professionals while an FBI agent doggedly pursues him.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 21m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 2 Oscars16 wins & 46 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A con man assumes a wealthy friend's identity after killing him abroad.

Directed by Anthony Minghella · 2h 20m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dave (1993)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A kind-hearted look-alike is recruited to secretly impersonate the incapacitated President of the United States.

Directed by Ivan Reitman · 1h 50m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A man claiming to be a missing villager returns after years away, but his wife begins to doubt him.

Directed by Daniel Vigne · 1h 47m

Where to watch

Stream: Cohen Media Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Great Dictator (1940)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 92%

A Jewish barber mistaken for a tyrannical dictator is thrust into the centre of a fascist regime.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin · 2h 05m · Rated NR

Nominated for 5 Oscars7 wins & 6 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, TCM, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

TMDB ★ 7.6

An English tourist is recruited to impersonate a kidnapped king who happens to be his exact double.

Directed by John Cromwell · 1h 41m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Mistaken Identity and Imposter Movies

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Dave (1993)

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)

The Great Dictator (1940)

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

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