Double Take

I first came upon this movie on HBO, late at night, and although I missed the beginning, I was hooked into watching it because it looked like Toronto and I like watching movies to guess where they are supposed to take place and where they were really shot. Where it was shot was easy, but where was supposed to be was a mystery. I found that the movie itself paled next to the game. I don't think I would have continued watching the whole thing, but for my curiosity.

I was astounded to find out that it took place in New York, especially when the Library at 41st Street and 5th Avenue was mentioned and it was the University of Toronto that was seen. There was no attempt to make this movie look like it was in New York, except for the "TTC" being covered over on the "Toronto Transit Commission" logo on the subway.

A few days later, I watched the opening of the film, expecting to see stock footage of the New York skyline, to define the setting, but the skyline shown looked to me to be San Francisco.

I found this film too much of a knock-off of many others and combined with the lack of disguise of setting it made it seem like an inexpensive, student project. There is one thing I did like about it. I like Toronto and I like seeing videos of it.

This routine thriller actually manages to be decent most of the way, but unfortunately, it has a bad and predictable ending that ruins the honest effort that was made to make this film seem clever. As a result, the competence of the first seventy minutes or so really doesn't amount to much, since it was wasted by the lackluster conclusion.

A writer witnesses a murder and helps put away the culprit. Days later, he bumps into the man's exact double, and starts to think he made a mistake. Before too long, he finds himself tangled up in a complicated conspiracy where nothing is as it seems.

This had the potential to be a good movie, but it deteriorates into predictability and too much confusion. Better acting could have helped, too.

** out of ****