Duplicity

Director:Tony Gilroy

You know a film isn’t the Mae West when the best lines of dialogue are repeated throughout, practically ad nauseam. Part caper, part rom-com, Duplicity features Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as former CIA and MI6 agents who go private to work in the pharmaceutical industry.

Industrial espionage between rival cosmetics manufacturers is exploited by this pair of players, who intend to make a fast buck out of the greed of the corporate whores and retire. But are they playing each other? Who, exactly, is playing whom?

As for Julia and Clive, it’s admirable to see Hollywood casting against convention and hiring these two ugly fatties for a film where they have to be smart, sassy, suave and sophisticated. The movie is therefore probably one for the ladies or a date movie, just coz Clive Owen is top male totty. Of course, Julia Roberts has the swollen lips of a very poor pugilist, so her looks can be admired too. But Clive definitely ticked all the boxes for my female companion, from what I could discern from her raspy groans in the darkness of the picturehouse.

Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson play the pharmaceutical corporation CEOs, and they do so with aplomb. All the support is pretty good, and none of the acting could be described as pants.

You can see that there’s some sort of a twist coming from a mile away. Figuring it out isn’t too difficult either, which is part of the problem. A further twist or three might have impressed more. You’re also left asking what the point is for some of it, and the only reason for certain plot elements would seem to be to throw the audience a curveball or two. Unfortunately, they don't work coz the audience already knows to take very little at face value.

The repetition of the best dialogue in the film is a bit of a letdown, when the two leads are supposedly playing each other. And when you have to repeat your best material, you know the script could have done with a bit more spit and polish. It gives the impression that the whole movie is up its own arse a bit. However, I will say that it’s admirable to see Hollywood casting against convention and hiring two ugly fatties for a film where they have to be smart, sassy, suave and sophisticated.

So, what’s the verdict? “Just alright”, methinks.