If Tony Gilroy does one thing right in his movies, it would be that he's great at creating complex stories for a sophisticated audience. He doesn't underestimate his audience, but he never hangs them out to dry. Like his previous film, 'Michael Clayton', 'Duplicity' is complex, confusing, full of twists, but won't frustrate the audience because it will have an fulfilling (and in this case, funny) resolution. Carried by the charisma of its leads and the hilarity of its supporters, 'Duplicity' is a winner of a movie.
Its intricacies might've been its downfall, but I thought 'Duplicity' kept me guessing at every turn, and a huge plot twist was more than enough icing on the cake to finish it off. The film is clever, sexy, and witty. Most of the charisma from the film is not just from the script, but from the fine performances from the actors we all expect to give those kind of performances.
I know some people were wondering if Julia Roberts could still carry a film, and I'm kind of shocked that they would question her. Her ability to provide a strong presence on screen is still unmatched by most of her male counterparts, and she's the strongest thing in the movie. It's because of Roberts' strength that the plot twist is better and shocking. Clive Owen is also commendable in his charismatic and cool performance. His character here is like his character in 'The International', and I can't say how...but I'll just say that it's as if the two movies are connected through Owen's performances in both movies, which are like a journey through two separate stories.
Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti...well, I can't really say enough about them. They're two fine actors working the script for everything they can, and they turn in two stellar supporting performances. Their slow motion fight is probably the funniest scene I've seen in months.
'Duplicity' is a movie I really can't describe that well without spoiling, because it's extremely intricate and extremely hard to follow unless you're paying absolute attention. It's a fun version of 'Michael Clayton' at the core. It's a movie that a sophisticated viewer will enjoy, a movie that any fan of sexually explosive heist movies will enjoy, and a movie that any fan of irony will enjoy. I had a great time in this one, mostly because I love great plot twists...and this one certainly has it.
Its intricacies might've been its downfall, but I thought 'Duplicity' kept me guessing at every turn, and a huge plot twist was more than enough icing on the cake to finish it off. The film is clever, sexy, and witty. Most of the charisma from the film is not just from the script, but from the fine performances from the actors we all expect to give those kind of performances.
I know some people were wondering if Julia Roberts could still carry a film, and I'm kind of shocked that they would question her. Her ability to provide a strong presence on screen is still unmatched by most of her male counterparts, and she's the strongest thing in the movie. It's because of Roberts' strength that the plot twist is better and shocking. Clive Owen is also commendable in his charismatic and cool performance. His character here is like his character in 'The International', and I can't say how...but I'll just say that it's as if the two movies are connected through Owen's performances in both movies, which are like a journey through two separate stories.
Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti...well, I can't really say enough about them. They're two fine actors working the script for everything they can, and they turn in two stellar supporting performances. Their slow motion fight is probably the funniest scene I've seen in months.
'Duplicity' is a movie I really can't describe that well without spoiling, because it's extremely intricate and extremely hard to follow unless you're paying absolute attention. It's a fun version of 'Michael Clayton' at the core. It's a movie that a sophisticated viewer will enjoy, a movie that any fan of sexually explosive heist movies will enjoy, and a movie that any fan of irony will enjoy. I had a great time in this one, mostly because I love great plot twists...and this one certainly has it.