The Double (2013)

A clerk in a government agency finds his unenviable life takes a turn for the horrific with the arrival of a new co-worker who is both his exact physical double and his opposite - confident, charismatic and seductive with women.

Director:

Richard Ayoade

Writers:

Fyodor Dostoevsky (novel), Richard Ayoade

Stars:

Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn

1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Simon / James
Mia Wasikowska	...	Hannah
Wallace Shawn	...	Mr Papadopoulos
Yasmin Paige	...	Melanie
Noah Taylor	...	Harris
James Fox	...	The Colonel
Cathy Moriarty	...	Kiki
Phyllis Somerville	...	Simon's Mother
Gabrielle Downey	...	Strange Woman
Jon Korkes	...	Detective
Craig Roberts	...	Young Detective
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith	...	Guard / Doctor
Susan Blommaert	...	Liz
Bruce Byron	...	Skinhead
J. Mascis	...	Janitor (as J Mascis)

Storyline

Simon is a timid man, scratching out an isolated existence in an indifferent world. He is overlooked at work, scorned by his mother, and ignored by the woman of his dreams. He feels powerless to change any of these things. The arrival of a new co-worker, James, serves to upset the balance. James is both Simons exact physical double and his opposite - confident, charismatic and good with women. To Simons horror, James slowly starts taking over his life.

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Plot Keywords:

double | office cubicle | employer employee relationship | lookalike | co worker | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 2014 (France)

Also Known As:

The Double

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$14,646 (USA) (9 May 2014)

Gross:

$200,268 (USA) (15 August 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcove Entertainment, Attercop Productions, British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the "Replicator court-martial" extended scene, the central member of the court-martial board is played by Laurence Fox, Son of James Fox who plays the Colonel.

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Quotes

Simon: I have all these things that I want to say to her, like... Like how I can tell she's a lonely person, even if other people can't. Cause I know what it feels like to be lost and lonely and invisible.

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Connections

Referenced in The Review Show: Episode dated 30 March 2014 (2014)

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Soundtracks

Akasaka Rain
(aka "Ameno Akasak")
Performed by The Blue Comets

User Reviews

Boring

"The Double" is a boring film with a story inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "The Double" in an environment of Terry Gilliam's "Brazil". The invisible Simon James meets his Doppelgänger called James Simon that has opposite personality and steals his job and the woman he suffers from unrequited love. The plot is disclosed at a slow pace and despite the great performances and the stylish cinematography, does not engage the viewer since it is tiresome for a thriller, unfunny for a comedy and shallow for a drama. The conclusion is inconsistent since does not provide explanation why James and Simon are connected when injured but not when healed. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Duplo" ("The Double")