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Friday
20Mar2009

Movie Review - 'Duplicity'

DateFriday, March 20, 2009 at 12:33AM
Duplicity

Starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Tom Wilkinson
Directed by Tony Gilroy
Rated PG-13

duplicityposter.jpg To follow up Michael Clayton, his 2007 legal drama that snared seven Oscar nominations, writer-director Tony Gilroy has again chosen to skewer corporate greed and corruption in Duplicity, but there are major differences between the two films. The tone in Duplicity is lighter and breezier, and even though there are millions of dollars at stake for rival companies in Gilroy's latest, it takes a back seat to a quirky, unsatisfying romance between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen.

The biggest difference, however, is that Duplicity simply isn't a good film.

Roberts and Owen portray former spies - she was CIA, he was MI6 - who had a one night stand in Dubai in 2003. Now working as security and intelligence operatives in the private sector for rival health and cosmetics companies, they meet again to trade leaked insider information. Given their history, however, they refuse to work together.

At least, that's what other characters in the film are led to believe. There's an even more duplicitous game at work, one the trailers give away, so it's hard to know how well that part of the movie is executed. There's no surprise when the surprise is revealed.

Gilroy made a big impression with Clayton, his directorial debut. It was focused, sleek, sober, and cutting. However, he has directed Duplicity to death. It overflows with visual gimmicks and trickery that the story doesn't require. It appears at least likely and at worst obvious that Gilroy is hoping to make his Ocean's 11. The musical score, the editing, and even Clive Owen's suits all feel stolen from a better, livelier heist movie.

Perhaps most alarming is what Gilroy does to his poor actors. Owen and Roberts were excellent together in Closer, but there is less chemistry in Duplicity than in a third grade science class. Even worse is what happens to Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson, two of the finer character actors in the movies today.

They portray the heads of the rival companies, but just barely. They are featured in Duplicity's best scene, a classy but completely unconnected opening credits sequence, but otherwise, they show up for 30 seconds at a time on maybe a handful of occasions. Why would you waste talent like that?

I could spoil some of the inner workings of the film, but really, that's the only major thrill in all of this. Gilroy has perhaps written a movie from the end backwards; it certainly appears that way. I guess that's better than appearing as though it wasn't written at all. But not by much.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment3 Comments |

Reader Comments (3)

I'm a Julia Roberts fan and I'm quite disappointed that she accepted this role. But I'm still going to watch it and create my own review about the film.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterwow gold

not pretty good movies.... bad role for julia!

Friday, March 27, 2009 | Unregistered Commentermust see movies

If a movie plot is complex, the script & actors need to be compelling enough to make viewers seek answers to the story's unanswered questions. I viewed this film with two other people. We ALLagreed that if we were watching this movie on TV, we probably would have turned the channel prior to the movie end. High level (CIA – James Bond type) spy tactics mixed with a strange story involving 'boy spy meets girl spy', together with antics involving industrial rivalry & espionage. It just isn’t at all plausible and doesn’t work on so many levels! Wait for the movie to come to TV and try not to turn the channel.

Monday, April 13, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSaw The Movie

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