The Double

The concept of the doppelganger is a very strange, and at times unnerving thing. Out there, there is someone who is your exact double in many ways, living a life completely separate from that of your own. What were to happen if you were given the chance to meet that double of yours? Richard Ayoade’s 2013 film The Double explores just such a situation.

Based off of a novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Double is the story of Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg), a government clerk who seems to become more and more invible to people around him each day. Everyday on his way to work, he tries to enter his office via his work ID, but is never recognized by the security guard who is at the desk every morning, as well failing to grab the attention of his boss played by Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride). One morning a new employee arrives to the office following an almost celebrated intro, once Simon sees the new employee he ends up astonished, because the new guy is an exact duplicate of himself. The new employee, who’s named James Simon may appear identical to Simon his personality is the complete opposite, being brash, charming, and confident compared to his double, who is meek, quiet, and non-standoffish. After a time the two start to work together to further each others’ station, James wishes to move up the coporate ladder at work, while Simon pines for the affection of one of the girls from the copy room, Hannah played by Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland). At first things go well, until James begins to manipulate Simon, furthering his own needs with blackmail, sending the clerk’s life into a tailspin.

The director of the film is Richard Ayoade, who is best known for playing the character of Moss on the television show The IT Crowd. He began his directing career with his 2010 film Submarine. The story of a fifteen-year old boy on his quest both lose his virginity, and to destroy the relationship between his mother and her ex. Submarine is a great film, in a style akin to something created by director Wes Anderson, though without the fixed color palette that his films feature. As a director Ayoade is quite confident with his material, with the best aspect of his work being his focus on directing his actors. All of the characters in his films are very believable, and the protagonists are generally more relateable than likable, which can be a hard thing to have carry your film. Yet, Ayoade has been able to accomplish this in both of his films so far, perhaps he will be able to continue it throughout the rest of his career.

With his previous film Submarine, much of Ayoade influence was clearly from the films of Wes Anderson, namely one such as Rushmore. However, The Double being a much different story has very different atmosphere, choosing to take a more industrial and isolated look to the film rather than that of one in what is seemingly the read world. Simon’s world is one of browns, and grays, full of bland concrete buildings, and a general lack of individuality, everyone and everything being yet another cog in society’s machine. This time around, Ayoade’s influence appears to come from Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil. With a similar story of a government clerk stuck in a psudo-dysopic world, the comparisons between the two films are numerous, the bland industrial surroundings, the citizens blind to their own bleak-lives.

As previously mentioned, the director likes to concentrate on lettings his actors know how to react to their surroundings as well as each other. Jesse Eisenberg puts in a solid effort as both Simon and James, being able to convey subtle differences between two sides of a same coin. While the two characters do have different personalities, one being small and mousy, the other being direct and on-point. Performance wise Eisnenberg doesn’t vary too far between the two characters, perhaps as a way to show how James is able to manipulate everyone around him. The supporting actors also put in good performances, Wallace Shawn does well as the loud and oblivious Mr. Popadopoulos, putting good use to his high-piercing voice. Mia Wasikowska puts in a very reserved job as the love interest of the film, portraying the character of Hanna as a strange, delicate, yet also somewhat independent.

The Double is quite an interesting film. The story of dealing with two polar opposite personalities which seem to emanate from the exact same person makes for a curious spectacle. In addition the characters, and the mildly-bleak world in which the story is held makes for an interesting arena for the plot. If one has the chance, and an interest in a less than straightforward movie, The Double is worth a viewing.

Burke & Hare

Genres are flexible, most films which are labeled with the title of “science fiction” are almost always group together with another classification, such as horror, drama, and thriller. The same goes for comedy, which can be broken down into further sub-genres such as parody, slapstick, or in the case of 2010's Burke and Hare, black comedy. Black comedies take a somber, or macabre setting and turns them on their head, with plots which sound as though they should be dramas or horror film, and instead makes light of a darker situation. Stanley Kubrick Dr. Strangelove is a prime example of this type of film, poking fun and making light of the ever-looming threat of nuclear war during the 1960's.

Directed by veteran comedy and horror director John Landis, Burke and Hare tells the semi-true story of two Irish con men in 19^th century Edinburgh. At the start of the film we are introduced by a narrator/hang-man (Bill Bailey) who tells the audience of the fact that in the 19^thcentury Edinburgh was the center of medical research in the world, and how one professor Monro (Tim Curry) forges an official letter which allows him to hold the monopoly on fresh hanging victims for medical research.

This prevents Dr. Knox (Tom Wilkinson) from having any subjects for his medical classes, until two down on their luck Irishmen Burke (Simon Pegg) and Hare (Andy Serkis) must dispose of the body of an elderly boarding house tenant, and find they can make a profit from murdering victims and selling the corpses to Dr. Knox. This leads to an investigation by Scottish militia and a series of hijinks from a cast of characters throughout Edinburgh.

This film benefits from great writing, which gives each character a unique voice allowing everyone to be funny in individual ways. Though the plot is based off of true events, as stated in the opening of the film not everything is historically accurate. Being upfront about this fact is both cheeky, but it also queues in the audience to not take the film seriously, which loosens up the atmosphere, allowing for it to appear historical, but not take itself seriously in the slightest. Full of witty quips, clever twists, silly caricatures, and had-hitting slapstick, Burke and Hare doesn't slow the flow of comedy from constantly filling screen time, and it does so without becoming tried.

Visually the film looks like a period-film, perhaps one discussing the politics of 19^th century Britain, or a film about a young medical student fighting against all odds to make some kind of miracle breakthrough in the field. While at first glance it looks like something which is perhaps meant to be serious, simply watching for a few moments will reveal its true nature. This juxtaposition makes for a very humorous look at what is historically seen as the serious story of two serial killers in Scotland.

All of the actors bring their A-game, every one with their own brand of comedic delivery and timing. With such a wide variety of comedy on display one can find at least one performance to tickle them in just the right way, leaving them with a memorable line, or visual gag stuck in their thoughts for the rest of the week.

There aren't very many problems with the film per-se, except perhaps the casting of the two main characters of William Burke, and William Hare. Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis do exceptional jobs as the two Irish con artist, but there therein lies the issue, why couldn't they cast two actual Irishmen to play these historical figures? There isn't a shortage of comedic Irish actors in the film industry, one could easily see the likes of Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd), Sean Hughes (The Last Detective), Dylan Morgan (Shawn of the Dead), or Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects) in the titular roles. Now, this isn't really a critique of Pegg and Serkis who both do an excellent job, but it does lead one to wonder if actual Irish actors might have brought something different to the roles.

In all, Burke and Hare is a great work of comedy which might have been overlooked for the last few years, but it worth giving a watch.