“The Double”
2.5 out of 5 Pitchforks
Image Entertainment
Released: Oct. 28
With layers of secrecy and darkness, “The Double” had the potential of a high boiling espionage thriller. Unfortunately, because of its confusing and untimely plot points, it merely simmers.
The film is the directing debut for screenwriter Michael Brandt who collaborated on the script with writing partner Derek Haas. The duo has previously penned the gritty Western remake “3:10 to Yuma” and high-action “2 Fast 2 Furious” and “Wanted” together.
In “The Double,” the murder of a U.S. senator done in the characteristic style of the mysterious Soviet assassin Cassius causes Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere), a retired CIA operative who chased the killer for decades, to be pushed by his former boss Tom Highland (Martin Sheen) to solve the case. Shepherdson is paired with Ben Geary (Topher Grace), a bright, young FBI agent who wrote his Harvard Master's thesis on Shepherdson's pursuit of Cassius.
Though Geary is certain that the Soviet assassin has resurfaced, Shepherdson insists he has been dead for years. As Shepherdson and Geary and delve further and further into the investigation, they realize that Cassius is a lot closer than they had anticipated, forcing both to re-examine their own histories and futures.
One of the biggest plot twists is given early on—even earlier if you watch the trailer—and the others that are dropped later are never fully developed as much as they could be. By showing its most shocking revelation at the beginning, the film is never able to muster as much intensity, and at times, the dramatic music commanded more of my reaction.
The relationship between Shepherdson and Geary is meant to anchor the film, but the male leads have a barely-there chemistry.
Gere does what the role calls for, which is not too much. He has the steely deception quality down, which was all he needed for the most part. There’s not a lot he could have done to display his talent because Shepherdson’s character doesn’t require it.
Though Grace usually plays roles that suit his talents, he doesn’t quite have the gravitas to convincingly pull off the twist ending. Up until the last scenes, he’s able to sustain the character quite well. His patient wife (Odette Yustman) and adorable kids, though, are so close to being endearing, but are just too cliché for there to be any real emotional attachment to them.
Overall, the film’s attempt to be psychologically complex only makes it complicated and undeveloped.
Reach the reporter at mgrichar@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
