The Identical (2014)

Twin brothers are unknowingly separated at birth; one of them becomes an iconic rock 'n' roll star, while the other struggles to balance his love for music and pleasing his father.

Director:

Dustin Marcellino

Writer:

Howard Klausner

Stars:

Blake Rayne, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ray Liotta	...	Reece Wade
Ashley Judd	...	Louise Wade
Seth Green	...	Dino
Joe Pantoliano	...	Avi Hirshberg
Blake Rayne	...	Ryan Wade / Drexel Hemsley
Erin Cottrell	...	Jenny O'Brien
Brian Geraghty	...	William Hemsley
Amanda Crew	...	Helen Hemsley
Waylon Payne	...	Tony Nash
Danny Woodburn	...	Damon
Chris Mulkey	...	William Hemsley (Older)
Noah Urrea	...	Ryan Wade (9 Years)
Gary Beaty	...	Steve Douglas
Caylin Cervetti	...	Angela
Ken Dodge	...	Sergeant

Storyline

In 1936, William and Helen Hemsley (Brian Geraghty, Amanda Crew) welcome identical twin boys into the world. But their joy is quickly tempered by a sobering realization; how could they give these children any kind of a life beyond the desperate poverty that haunted many families in the midst of the Great Depression? When evangelist Reece Wade (Ray Liotta) reveals that he and his wife Louise (Ashley Judd) cannot have children, William feels the Lord's prompting to give them one of the infant boys. Both brothers are born with passion, drive and awesome musical talent, but take very separate, yet converging paths. Drexel Hemsley (Blake Rayne) rises like a comet and changes the music world forever. His adopted brother, Ryan Wade (also played by Blake Rayne) struggles to find the purpose for his life. All the way into manhood he wrestles with pleasing Reverend Wade, his loving but controlling father, who is convinced his son Ryan is called into the ministry. Ryan is encouraged by his ...

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Plot Keywords:

twins | identical twins | great depression | reverend | rock 'n' roll | 

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Taglines:

If He is in your dreams, nothing can stand against Him.

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Benzer Sesler

Filming Locations:

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,587,137, 5 September 2014, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$2,817,092, 19 September 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

City of Peace Films,Identical Production Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ray Liotta and Amanda Crew previously starred together in the 2010 film Charlie St. Cloud. In that film, they didn't share any screen time together.

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Goofs

In the cemetery scene on the gravestones, Drexal Hemsley was born Feb 12, 1936 and Dexter Ryan Hemsley was born Oct 4, 1935 (and lived one day) but they are twins?! They should be born on the same day (or adjacent days). This is either a major prop screw up or this is an actual cemetery plot (legality?) and the mother was having twins but lost one child in the 5th month and successfully carried the other to term most likely with hospital involvement and not just a home setting. Regardless, these different dates do not fit the story under any scenario. It would seem like neighbors would know they had twins born on the same day.

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Connections

Referenced in Midnight Screenings: No Good Deed (2014)

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Soundtracks

Your Love's Keepin' Me Tonight
Performed by Blake Rayne
Written by Al Galvez (AKIAV), Jerry Marcellino and Yochanan Marcellino
(c) 2014 Used by Permission of Al Galvez Publishing, Inc./BMI and (c) 2014 City of Peace Music/BMI (Admin. by Music Services, Brentwood, TN)
Kevin Toney appears courtesy of K-Tone Productions

User Reviews

I liked it!

I just saw this movie with my wife and friends and we all enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I knew that the movie would have some type of faith message included. I was really hoping that it wouldn't be like so many other cheesy Christian movies I have seen in the past that were so badly made that it was all I could do not to turn it off...which half of them I actually couldn't resist the urge. But, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie! The acting was excellent, the cinematography was decent, it kept you engaged, and it really was a heart moving film.

I appreciated the pro-Israel message and the other biblically based values and messages that we heard throughout the movie, which seemed to come off naturally throughout the film, instead of being forced or awkward. The main actor "Ryan" was really great. His singing and talent was outstanding. The critic that gave his acting and singing a bad review...they must be relatively blind and hard of hearing. It is obvious that such critics have some type of twisted ax to grind...maybe an anti-semite, anti-Christian, or some other such hater. Such reviews are really out of line and non-deserved. To be honest, the Elvis Presley type music is really not my favorite...not my genre...Nonetheless, the movie managed to make me enjoy it while I was watching.

I think the movie was a success. Despite what one critic communicated...specifically, that there was not a clear or major point or redeeming message...From my perspective it was quite to the contrary. I believe the movie made a great point on the subject of Christians supporting Yisra'el, to pursue the calling that God has called us to (and not someone else's calling), to respect and be thankful towards our parents, and to search out and discover our true roots and who we are. I appreciate that the movie brought out that the main character was Jewish, but also had a faith in Yeshua (Jesus) The Messiah, and how both beliefs are compatible, and Biblical. Although...I could have done without the scene with the Christmas tree next to the menorah...Just the menorah with some other symbol that communicated his faith in New Testament writings would have been sufficient.

At any rate, I hope that City Of Peace films goes on to do other high quality and relevant movies. Mazel tov and L'chaim!