[Last Film I Saw] The Double (2013) [6/10]

Title: The Double
Year: 2013
Country: UK
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Richard Ayoade
Writers:
Richard Ayoade
Avi Korine
Fyodor Dosteovsky
Music: Andrew Hewitt
Cinematography: Erik Wilson
Cast:
Jesse Eisenberg
Mia Wasikowska
Wallace Shawn
Yasmin Paige
Noah Taylor
Cathy Moriarty
James Fox
Phyllis Somerville
Tim Key
Craig Roberts
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
J. Mascis
Chris O'Dowd
Paddy Considine
Sally Hawkins
Kierston Wareing
Tony Rohr
Rade Serbedzija
Rating: 6/10

THE IT CROWD comedian Richard Ayoade’s second feature film THE DOUBLE is a noir-stylish incubus, and it cannot dodge the comparison with Denis Villeneuve’s ENEMY (2013, 8/10), since both tackle a storyline with a doppelgänger and may or may not be a case of split personality.

In an unspecified background, Simon (Eisenberg) is an easily frightened and paltry clerk works in an unnamed enterprise headed by The Colonel (Fox), we have no clue of what the real deal of it except that their business are people, characterless people as commodities, still it is rather implicit. Simon is unfairly treated and looked down upon by everyone (the people in the company consider him as a nameless pawn), even the girl whom he has a crush on and who is his voyeuristic object, his co-worker Hannah (Wasikowska) takes his admiration for granted, everyone, the pathetic Simon goes to her department and asks for make one copy of some documents, it is the only way he can speak with her.

Until one day, a new college arrives named James, who looks exactly like Simon but from the perspective of personality, he is the opposite, James is fun, gregarious, charming and sexually active. There is a short moment they bond quite well and James all the more, instructs Simon how to win Hannah over, they all obviously aware of their resemblance, but in this surreal universe, they don’t question it and others don’t even realise that. The ambiguity shadows any logical deduction and after a honeymoon period with identity swapping capers, the ill omen takes its position, James gradually takes advantage of Simon, hogs his achievement, feasibly philanders among women (Hannah included), all puts Simon yet in a more miserable state.

The rest of the plot I shall not divulge, since it not crystal-clear to me that I fully understand what has happened, all I can say is Simon devises a self-inflicted suicide to finish off James after a startling discovery, in the very end, whether he wins or dies, he is still the expendable nobody, the only (probable) trophy is Hannah.

However illogical and evasive its content is, the film per se is a potent upshot of a unique art direction, the dim lighting of a depressing, desolate and clunky milieu with the oppressive indoor design, all conspires to a nightmari

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