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 & 11 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

double | office cubicle | employer employee relationship | lookalike | suicide | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 2014 (UK)

Also Known As:

Dvojnik

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,646, 11 May 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$200,268, 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

An earlier version of this film, also based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, and also to have been called The Double, came close to being made by director Roman Polanski in 1996. John Travolta was to have played the lead role alongside Isabelle Adjani, John Goodman and Jean Reno, from a script by Jeremy Leven. Shooting was to have started in Paris in June 1996. However, just days before principal photography was due to begin, Travolta left the project after an argument with Polanski about alleged changes to the script and the film collapsed shortly afterwards.

---

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.

---

Connections

References A Short Film About Love (1988)

---

Soundtracks

Splendour in the Grass (aka Sougenno Kagayki)
(uncredited)
Performed by The Blue Comets

User Reviews

Pretty ambitious

Here's the basic gist- this film is pretty ambitious on a visual level. It's reminiscent of the type of film Lynch would have made in his early days (yes, I got memories of Eraserhead for whatever reason). On a storyline-level, it's more straightforward. You can pretty much guess where the narrative is going and the strings it's going to pull. The film still works however, largely because of its cast. Jesse Eisenberg's performance here stands alongside his Oscar-nominated turn in The Social Network as the best acting he's ever given. It's truly superb work. Wasikowska is also quite effective. The score is effective and sort of haunting. Overall, I wish I'd liked it more, but it's definitely recommended.