Familiar dystopian future a drag on ‘Double,’ Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal

  • By Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic
  • Wednesday, May 21, 2014 5:14pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

In some stories about doubles, the arrival of the doppelganger sends the protagonist into a crisis. Not so in “The Double,” where our hero is already decidedly cracked.

Meet Simon James, played by Jesse Eisenberg, a worker drone in a dull dystopian society. Given how poorly he’s treated at work and how much he’s ignored by his dream girl Hannah (Mia Wasikowska), you might think things could not get much drearier for Simon.

Well. Meet James Simon, played by Jesse Eisenberg, a rakish, charming new employee — Simon’s exact physical likeness, yet an instant hit with his co-workers, the boss (Wallace Shawn), and, of course, Hannah. Despite an initial flirtation between the two men — the lookalikes share a night on the town together, and Simon uncharacteristically has a gas — the new guy cuts an increasingly sinister figure in our hero’s desperate existence.

“The Double” is directed by Richard Ayoade, the British actor-writer who co-starred in “The Watch” last year. Ayoade’s 2010 coming-of-age film “Submarine” showed him to be a filmmaker with clever instincts but still in search of a style of his own (Wes Anderson was undoubtedly checking his pockets after that one).

For “The Double,” Ayoade and co-writer Avi Korine adapted a Dostoyevsky novella, imagining the story in a curiously mid-20th century setting: rotary gizmos, analog screens, Soviet-style housing. They are, of course, free to create any kind of futuristic (or parallel-reality) hellscape they like, but this one so closely recalls previous efforts by George Orwell and Terry Gilliam that it lacks the slap of the truly revelatory.

That’s too bad, because for at least two-thirds of its running time “The Double” is funny and engaging. Eisenberg is nimble as always, particularly when his alpha-self is running rings around Simon the doormat, and Wasikowska is a much harder film-noir type than “Jane Eyre” or “Stoker” would have suggested.

The film’s grimy atmosphere begins to feel put-on after a while, and Ayoade can’t generate something new out of a “Twilight Zone” ending.

So far, Denis Villeneuve’s “Enemy” will remain the year’s top study of the terror of confronting one’s mirror image, which, true to literary tradition, is always really about confronting one’s self. That movie really did come up with an original ending, a whopper of a non sequitur. By comparison, “The Double” stays in the minor leagues.

“The Double” (two and a half stars)

In a dystopian society, an office drone becomes disconcerted by his exact double, a much more aggressive and charming guy (Jesse Eisenberg plays both roles). The movie’s pretty engaging for a while, even if its future world looks familiar as a 20th-century nightmare and its grimy design feels a little put-on. Mia Wasikowska co-stars.

Rating: R, for language, violence

Opens: Friday at the Varsity theater in Seattle.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

2025 Nissan Rogue Rock Creek edition (Provided by Nissan).
2025 Nissan Rogue has new Rock Creek edition

Enhanced outdoor capability is a boon for the more adventurous.

Futuristic Kona Limited Photo Provided By Hyundai Newsroom.
2025 Hyundai Kona Limited SUV Gets Roomier

All-Wheel Drive Option Add To All Trims

Children play and look up at a large whale figure hanging from the ceiling at the Imagine Children’s Museum (Olivia Vanni / The herald)
Fun for all ages: The best places for family adventures

From thrilling activities to relaxing outings, here’s where to make unforgettable family memories!

Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

“Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.