O Bode Expiatório

I liked this "Scapegoat" from 2012 better than the 1959 version, though they are both good. This one is warmer and I love the message the maid gives John at the end.

Set in England of 1952 at the time of the Coronation (changed from France) John and Johnny (Matthew Rhys) meet by accident and are both shocked - they look exactly alike. John has been let go from his teaching position and is on a walking tour; Johnny comes from big money and is dreading going home. John gets drunk and when he wakes up in the morning, all his things are gone and in their place are all of Johnny's things. A chauffeur arrives to pick him up and John reluctantly goes along. When he gets to this huge estate, he tries to tell the various people in the house that he's not Johnny, but no one listens. So he becomes Johnny.

John learns a few things about Johnny. He has a wife (Alice Ewing-Orr) and a child (Eloise Webb). He's sleeping with his sister-in-law (Jodhi May) and a woman in the village (Sylvie Testud); his sister (Sheridan Smith) loathes him; his mother (Eileen Atkins) is a morphine addict and he is to have brought her more; and his brother (Andrew Scott) is in his shadow. And he has been away to settle a contract dispute with their foundry's biggest client.

John, however, being much more sensitive and sober than Johnny, realizes something else: This is a wonderful family that, like the family's business, is in desperate need of some love and attention. Unfortunately, when Johnny returns under cover of darkness for his own nefarious reasons, he doesn't like it when he realizes that John has completely taken over and decides to re-enter the family and take care of business.

Wonderful story, well acted by all involved, particularly Matthew Rhys in the dual role as the gentle John and the aggressive Johnny, who is only out for himself. At the end, his mother's nursemaid (Phoebe Nichols) has some words of wisdom. I love the ending.

Very entertaining. Don't dwell on how unrealistic it is. Lots of things are. Enjoy it for what it is.

I was without a clue as to what I was gonna stream next on my various subscription sites and free apps as well on Roku. I came across this title on Netflix and I was intrigued as Aileen Atkins was in it and one of the writers was Daphne Dumaurier (sp) so it was 9:30 and it would take me onto 11pm. The premise was interesting and lead actor very good, the story solid an production very fine, now as I write this it is the next day and I am thinking about the film which for me means it was very good. Seldom is anything good enough to think about the next day (well, The Crown and The Irishman are recent exceptions). Anyway, I won't give away the plot, but just say if you decide to watch the film I will go out on a limb and say you won't be disappointed or want your time back. Cheers.

The premise is, of course, completely absurd. Is it really possible that any two unrelated strangers could look so much alike that not even a mistress, wife, or mother could spot the difference? Well, no. But the feeling here is not of absurdity, but rather whimsy. The story maintains a pose of realism even as it verges into the fantastic.

So don't expect one of those thrillers with a water-tight plot and gritty realism. This is a story about wish-fulfillment and the freedom of discovering in yourself a whole new set of possibilities. It's also about thinking of your life as it might look from the outside, as viewed by a stranger taking your place; what would he see that you're missing? Count your blessings, you fool!

Lovely performances by all, but especially Matthew Rhys in the lead role.

The magic in this movie creeps up on you slowly, and is not fully felt until the very end. The sum of the movie is more than its parts. Director-writer Charles Sturridge has done this before (the Brideshead Revisited original TV series, A Handful of Dust) and here he does it again. Bravo!

#1 Look at the other reviews here and take them at face value ; this is a good movie that's worth watching. Although the premise and plot may seem implausible the movie draws you in and the acting, story (Daphne Du Maurier ) and production values make this a worthy film. There is real tenderness shown between the characters and and callousness by the villain. Good story and film making, no gimmicks other than the original story (novel).

What a terrific adaptation. Beautifully played by the ensemble cast, in particular by the lead. This film entertains while providing plenty to think about. It's a little bit black and white, of course, with one character apparently wholly good, and the other apparently wholly bad. But the setup works and you get carried along with the relationships and the possibility of change. The direction is perfect, in particular in the way that it convinces the viewer to go along with the deceit of the main character finding no opportunity to get out of the situation until he starts to feel some affinity with his new 'family'. It's some trick to convince the viewer to go along with that. But it works and you can see him getting drawn in in ways that feel plausible. A thoroughly enjoyable film of a great story.