BOTTOM
LINE:
Very clever and cerebral,
“Duplicity” has enough twists and turns to engage you
in its 2-hour journey of professional double and triple dealing
between characters and corporations, but the film ultimately does
not make you care enough about it to make that journey satisfying.
THE GOOD:
It is refreshing to see so much effort has gone in to
the crafting of a complicated and cerebral story in “Duplicity”,
the latest work from writer/director Tony Gilroy who also crafted
the well received Michael
Clayton. Although the plot becomes very clear by the climax,
sifting through the endless layers of double-dealing between the
characters involved is very entertaining, starting with the very
strong performances of Julia Roberts as Claire and Clive Owen as
Ray Koval, two intelligence agents who conspire together to make
forty million dollars at the benefit of a corporate show-down between
two big companies. Watching Roberts and Owen is fun at times, with
their witty banter and double-dealing between each other; a dialogue
scene will appear to be running one way and then be turned on its
head half way through and we are left wondering who has got the
advantage over who throughout. The larger story of one corporation
trying to steal a world-changing idea from another corporation is
also intriguing, particularly as seen through the two CEO’s
Howard Tully (a very devious Tom Wilkinson) and Richard Garsik (a
self-absorbed and slightly ridiculous Paul Giamatti). What works
so well is that this story will keep you guessing right until the
end as to who is working who. In that respect, “Duplicity”
certainly lives up to its title and provides a very cerebral experience;
make sure you do not park your brain at the door when you walk in
to the cinema because you will get lost if you do not keep up.
