Duplicity
- 2009
- Tous publics
- 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
53K
YOUR RATING
Two corporate spies become embroiled in a clandestine love affair.Two corporate spies become embroiled in a clandestine love affair.Two corporate spies become embroiled in a clandestine love affair.
- Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations total
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Two spies hatch a plan to get rich. This movie is a game pulling the blindfold on everyone, to create a serious tone of grown ups fighting in a sandpit. Hilarious seriousness with great writing and acting to empathise the multi-layered plot. Laughed out loud for most of it, my kind of comedy.
After all the fun, the ending left a sour taste, once taking the blindfold off it was just a sandpit. If you like creative complex comedies this ones for you. Hopefully now you know about the sour ending it won't taste so bad.
After all the fun, the ending left a sour taste, once taking the blindfold off it was just a sandpit. If you like creative complex comedies this ones for you. Hopefully now you know about the sour ending it won't taste so bad.
I'm not quite sure why this film got so-so reviews in the UK but it wasn't offering me a great deal to check it out and it was only the lack of alternatives that saw us going to see it. Perhaps it was my low expectations but what I found was a perfectly fine slick little caper film that, while not perfect, had enough slickness and pace to make for an entertaining couple of hours. Essentially we have seen it before, the smooth music, the cool cinematography, the stars in lead roles, the many twists and turns on the way to a reveal that makes for the conclusion of the film. It is nothing new and, in light of the Oceans films doing the same thing, it could almost be called a bit tired.
It does work though and writer/director Gilroy keeps it moving along well even if he is too close to his own material to be able to identify the problems within it. The basic plot is all well and good but the structure weakens it a bit. The multiple jumps back in time are supposed to inform us and/or add to the mystery but unfortunately they actually mostly serve to break-up the flow. It is not complex but the time shifting makes it feel more complicated than it actually is and makes it harder to follow because it breaks up the slick flow that the majority of it has. This is a shame because otherwise the film works well and it is only really the failure to pull off the structure that takes the shine off it.
And it is a "shine" because this is a film that has been polished in most regards. In itself it is what it appears to be – a glossy thriller with many little twists attempting to keep you from guessing the final reveal. It doesn't quite manage this as the ending is perhaps a little foreseeable after a certain point but mostly the sheen on it makes it flow. The direction is mostly very good with clever shots and fine delivery and editing to pull it together – in this type of thing that is much more than half the battle because sometimes that can be enough to fool viewers into buying the style when the substance stinks. That is not the case here as the substance is pretty good and the cast add the journey. Roberts didn't really convince me as she hasn't for a while (maybe she never did) but she is a Hollywood star through and through and she brings class to the film. Owen brings the rising star but, more importantly, the rugged charm that he does so effortlessly. Having Wilkinson and Giamatti only adds to the feeling of a quality product along with several good turns in smaller roles.
Duplicity is not a brilliant film but it is a good one within the context of the genre. The structure limits the slick appeal that it could have had and makes it a little less fun that it could have been but mostly all the packaging is in place and it does what you expect it to do as a genre film. Nothing to shout about from the rooftop by any means but for a Friday or Saturday night it delivers the sort of gloss that one goes to see these movies for and you gotta give it some credit for that in a period where so many star-led blockbusters fail to even do that.
It does work though and writer/director Gilroy keeps it moving along well even if he is too close to his own material to be able to identify the problems within it. The basic plot is all well and good but the structure weakens it a bit. The multiple jumps back in time are supposed to inform us and/or add to the mystery but unfortunately they actually mostly serve to break-up the flow. It is not complex but the time shifting makes it feel more complicated than it actually is and makes it harder to follow because it breaks up the slick flow that the majority of it has. This is a shame because otherwise the film works well and it is only really the failure to pull off the structure that takes the shine off it.
And it is a "shine" because this is a film that has been polished in most regards. In itself it is what it appears to be – a glossy thriller with many little twists attempting to keep you from guessing the final reveal. It doesn't quite manage this as the ending is perhaps a little foreseeable after a certain point but mostly the sheen on it makes it flow. The direction is mostly very good with clever shots and fine delivery and editing to pull it together – in this type of thing that is much more than half the battle because sometimes that can be enough to fool viewers into buying the style when the substance stinks. That is not the case here as the substance is pretty good and the cast add the journey. Roberts didn't really convince me as she hasn't for a while (maybe she never did) but she is a Hollywood star through and through and she brings class to the film. Owen brings the rising star but, more importantly, the rugged charm that he does so effortlessly. Having Wilkinson and Giamatti only adds to the feeling of a quality product along with several good turns in smaller roles.
Duplicity is not a brilliant film but it is a good one within the context of the genre. The structure limits the slick appeal that it could have had and makes it a little less fun that it could have been but mostly all the packaging is in place and it does what you expect it to do as a genre film. Nothing to shout about from the rooftop by any means but for a Friday or Saturday night it delivers the sort of gloss that one goes to see these movies for and you gotta give it some credit for that in a period where so many star-led blockbusters fail to even do that.
Two corporate spies (Owen & Roberts) hook up (after knowing each other a while back) to pull off a scheme to get 40 Million dollars. The mission is to infiltrate a company that each other work in, and expose a secret product the company is releasing. Soon things get out of plan, and the two spies realize they have more feelings for each other than they recently thought. I've been a fan of Clive Owen ever since Children of Men, and I was so gratified to see Julia Roberts back on the screen. A few years ago both Clive and Julia did a movie together called "Closer", and it was satisfying to see them back together again. Their performances together are the only uplifting value of this film. Although we could have used more of Paul Giamatti and definitely more Tom Wilkinson, the entire cast was perfect for this film. This movie had too much potential in the first half, but after that it becomes a confusing and mind boggling mess of a movie. There were so many twists, and confused story telling even I heard some of the audience members yell out "Huh? What was that about?" The script was good, but the story was horribly told that it came to a very disappointing outcome. That's a shame because I was expecting to enjoy a good suspense movie that wasn't confusing. Duplicity is a often funny and well acted movie, but you'll have to find either the film's director or the screenwriter to translate the story for you, or else you won't get it. It surprisingly turns romantic in the end which makes it a fairly good date movie, but you'll be more confused than dazzled. I have to say skip this movie, and if you want to see Julia Roberts at her best rent Erin Brockovich. If you want to see Clive Owen at his best rent Inside Man. Need I say more?
"Duplicity" is a likable thriller, mostly for Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. If you like these stars, chances are you will like this movie. Owen is handsome and suave, both in an expensive suit and in nothing but a bedsheet. Julia Roberts is as beautiful and sexy as ever, but in a new, worldly wise, jaded way.
"Duplicity" is set in glamorous, international locations and its clever script focuses on trust, risk, betrayal and love. So far so good. "Duplicity"'s twist falls a bit flat, though, and belief in it requires that the viewer conclude that characters who had previously been presented as very bright and masterful suddenly be revealed to have been duped by a ruse so obvious even I, no superspy, saw it coming. The final payoff is a fizzle, rather than a joyous explosion.
Denis O'Hare, an actor unfamiliar to me, is strangely compelling as Duke, a low level spy. It was fun realizing how an older, not very handsome actor can, just with his innate acting skill, take a minor, functionary role and become the person you most want to watch on screen.
"Duplicity" is set in glamorous, international locations and its clever script focuses on trust, risk, betrayal and love. So far so good. "Duplicity"'s twist falls a bit flat, though, and belief in it requires that the viewer conclude that characters who had previously been presented as very bright and masterful suddenly be revealed to have been duped by a ruse so obvious even I, no superspy, saw it coming. The final payoff is a fizzle, rather than a joyous explosion.
Denis O'Hare, an actor unfamiliar to me, is strangely compelling as Duke, a low level spy. It was fun realizing how an older, not very handsome actor can, just with his innate acting skill, take a minor, functionary role and become the person you most want to watch on screen.
"Duplicity" is a movie that thinks it's too clever for its own good, resulting in a convoluted tangle of corporate espionage and deceit that simply fails to capture the audience's interest. From the outset, the film promises an ingenious plot, but what it delivers is a boring and confusing experience that loses its viewers at every turn.
The narrative of "Duplicity" takes its protagonists from Dubai to Italy, from London to Miami, from Cleveland to Zurich, in a marathon of travel that is not just geographical but also temporal. The movie is riddled with constant flashbacks that count back in ever-smaller time segments, supposedly to build tension akin to a bomb about to explode. However, this bomb never goes off with the expected intensity. With each previous encounter revealed, we're supposed to be closer to understanding the master plan, but instead of clarifying, each plot twist only adds more confusion.
Even when you think you've finally deciphered what's going on, "Duplicity" hits you with yet another twist that changes your perception of everything you've just seen, not in an exciting way, but in a manner that feels forced and, frankly, exhausting. The film tries too hard to be smart, but the result is far less refreshing and original than it should have been; instead, it feels like an idea we've seen before, only executed in a way that's so complex it becomes tedious.
The narrative of "Duplicity" takes its protagonists from Dubai to Italy, from London to Miami, from Cleveland to Zurich, in a marathon of travel that is not just geographical but also temporal. The movie is riddled with constant flashbacks that count back in ever-smaller time segments, supposedly to build tension akin to a bomb about to explode. However, this bomb never goes off with the expected intensity. With each previous encounter revealed, we're supposed to be closer to understanding the master plan, but instead of clarifying, each plot twist only adds more confusion.
Even when you think you've finally deciphered what's going on, "Duplicity" hits you with yet another twist that changes your perception of everything you've just seen, not in an exciting way, but in a manner that feels forced and, frankly, exhausting. The film tries too hard to be smart, but the result is far less refreshing and original than it should have been; instead, it feels like an idea we've seen before, only executed in a way that's so complex it becomes tedious.
Julia Roberts Through the Years
Julia Roberts Through the Years
Take a look back at Julia Roberts' movie career in photos.
Did you know
- TriviaThe character of Claire Stenwick is named for classic-era movie actress Barbara Stanwyck.
- GoofsDuring the opening-scene fight between the two CEOs in the airport it is supposedly raining (everybody carries umbrellas). However, Tully and Garsik do not get wet.
- Crazy creditsAt the end of the movie, we see images of the supporting characters while each actor is credited. However, when Claire and Ray are shown, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen's names aren't shown.
- Alternate versionsThere are two versions available: the worldwide theatrical release, with a runtime of "2h 5m (125 min)", and an edited cut released in Turkey, with a runtime of "1h 58m (118 min)".
- SoundtracksBeing Bad
Written and Performed by Bitter Sweet (as Bitter:Sweet)
Courtesy of Quango Music Group, Inc.
- How long is Duplicity?Powered by Alexa
- Is "Duplicity" based on a book?
- Who and why are the two men fighting during the opening scene?
- Why does Garsik use a double?
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Duplicidad
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $40,572,825
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $13,965,110
- Mar 22, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $78,176,181
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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