Duplicity

Initially, I had no desire to see Duplicity. For whatever reason, be it Julia Roberts' involvement, the themes of corporate espionage (which I traditionally don't find very interesting), or a general lack of interest, I simply didn't have any reason to see it. I skipped it in the theaters, but having steadily heard good things about it since its release a year ago, I finally decided to give it a shot for March Madness. Short version: turns out I was totally wrong - I really dug this flick.

Duplicity

Writer/Director: Tony Gilroy

Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson

Tony Gilroy is an interesting cat. For those who aren't familiar, I'll give you a brief history of his work. He wrote The Devil's Advocate, co-wrote Armageddon with J.J. Abrams, wrote all of the Bourne films, and wrote and directed Michael Clayton back in '07. I have a strange disconnect with Michael Clayton: I remember liking the movie when I saw it, but now (almost two years removed from my first viewing) I could probably only tell you three or four things about it that aren't featured in the trailer. I don't think the same thing will happen with Duplicity; it has shades of Michael Clayton, but it is much more fun and has a lot going for it in the way of style.

I'll say right now that I'm not the biggest Julia Roberts fan. I don't think she's done anything great since the 2001 Ocean's Eleven remake (that's including the sequel, since they threw in that stupid subplot about Tess Ocean looking like Julia Roberts). But she was surprisingly cool in this movie; her "America's Sweetheart" persona is shelved in favor of a mirror image of Clive Owen's character: calculating, efficient, wise, slick, and kind of a badass. In this movie, both actors play former spies who have moved into the private sector. Working together (or are they?), the two infiltrate rival corporations dealing with consumer products. A big deal is about to go down, so Claire (Roberts) and Ray (Owen) plan to sell company secrets to the highest bidder and walk away rich.

The film uses an excellent flashback structure to reveal the true nature of the characters. For most of the film, we aren't sure as to how real Ray and Claire's relationship is: are they playing each other, or are they really in love? Even the characters themselves don't truly know until near the end of the movie, which makes us more invested as an audience: we want to know what's going to happen to these two people. Ray and Claire have essentially the same conversation multiple times at different points throughout, but each time it takes on a different meaning. I know that probably makes no sense to you if you haven't seen it, but trust me - it's great writing and makes for some really cool moments in the movie.

Giamatti and Wilkinson are fantastic as the two opposing corporate forces. They get involved in what essentially is a slap fight during the opening credits, and the scene (shot in ultra slow motion) is one of my favorite credit sequences of last year. Sliminess and confidence are perfectly embodied in their respective characters, which makes the end reveal all the more entertaining. Wilkinson seems to be enjoying what appears to be the beginning of a "Scorsese/DiCaprio" relationship, this being the second film in a row on which he's worked with writer/director Gilroy. For all of our sakes, I hope this relationship continues - Wilkinson is, in my mind, the prototypical Gilroy-ian actor.

I mentioned earlier that traditionally I'm not terribly interested in corporate espionage. But Duplicity glosses it with so much style, importance, and behind-the-scenes scheming that it feels as if nuclear secrets are on the line instead of a consumer product. The film's ability to take what appears to be ridiculously asinine content and treat it with weight and consequence is a main catalyst for the humor in the movie as well. Make no mistake, this movie is not a comedy, but watching these characters go through these incredible measures for something so absurd is pretty funny. The best example I can give is the scene in which Ray tells Claire about the frozen pizza market, getting excited because ham and pineapple have never been combined and sold in grocery stores before. (Again, I realize that probably doesn't sound very funny. But in the context of the movie, it's pretty amusing.)

I wouldn't dare give away the ending, since it may be my favorite aspect of this film. I can't even tell you if it's a standard ending or not, since that in and of itself would be a semi-spoiler, but I'll recommend that everyone who gives this movie a shot stick it out until the end.

Duplicity was way better than I thought it'd be, and most of that is due to the chemistry between Clive Owen (doing some great work here) and Julia Roberts. Tony Gilroy's smart script and impressive direction keep us invested throughout, and the control with which the story is told makes me excited for Gilroy's next writing/directing combo. Until next time...

Donnie Darko

What's happening, guys and girls? Sorry the reviews haven't been as quick and relentless as I had hoped, but here's something to tide you over until I actually get a chance to write a legit one.

Donnie Darko

Writer/Director: Richard Kelly

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore

This film is a cult classic, so I'd suggest giving it a watch even if for no other reason than so you can talk to people about it if it comes up at a party or something. Many of you have probably seen it by now anyway. And like I say at the end of the video, hopefully one day I'll be able to watch a legitimate version of this movie again and actually write up a "real" review. Until next time...

Chloe

Atom Egoyan's Chloe makes Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction look like Pixar films. Stars Amanda Seyfried and Julianne Moore, working from a script by Erin Cressida Wilson, alternately provide sex appeal and a glimpse into a pitiful window of the monotonous and the mundane.

Chloe

Director: Atom Egoyan

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson

Catherine (Moore) and David (Neeson) have a strained marriage. David is a college professor who is constantly flirting with waitresses and students, making Catherine long for the days when she was young enough to seduce him. When Catherine meets Chloe, a prostitute, she pays her to find out if David will respond to her advances. The two women meet periodically through the film, and Chloe reveals brutal details about her and David's romantic encounters. As the film progresses, Chloe intertwines herself in the lives of every member of Catherine's family, including her son, Michael.

This movie is definitely not for everyone. There are multiple graphic sex scenes (which, frankly, caught me a bit off guard), and both lead actresses are very..."generous" with their performances. [Note: joking aside, both actresses gave brave performances, contributing way more than just their bodies to their roles. I want to make that clear.] The pacing is a bit slow for my tastes, but there is a definite sense of atmosphere that Egoyan established well. Certain shots are partly obscured, shot through a pane of glass or a hanging curtain sheet, foreshadowing the very truths hidden throughout the film that come to light as it heads toward the climax.

Spoilers For Chloe In The Next Paragraph

There is a bit of a twist which most people should predict early in the film. Since we're in spoiler territory, I'll give it away. Chloe ends up becoming obsessed with Catherine, and every story about her romantic encounters with David were completely fabricated. The reason I say most people should pick up on this is because we are only shown those particular scenes in flashback while Chloe describes them to Catherine. We never see a real-time affair taking place between David and Chloe; Catherine is so regaled by Chloe's tales of sexual exploits with her husband (vicariously rekindling her rocky marriage) that she misses the warning signs of obsession until it's too late.

End of Spoilers

The cinematography was impressive, showing Catherine's plight with a sympathetic lens and subtly hinting at Chloe's malevolence. Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" has rarely been used to more dramatic effect than in this film, when Catherine rejects Chloe's sexual advance; Chloe's face is shown in profile with a full backlight, and the haunting opening movement of Beethoven's classic begins as the shot lingers there and we stare into the inner workings of Chloe's psyche through Seyfried's gorgeous (but here, somewhat frightening) eyes.

Neeson elevated his one-note character as best he could, but I certainly wouldn't recommend this film based on his performance alone. It was adequate overall, but I felt like there was only one scene (outside the taxi) in which he truly committed to his character. Considering the fact that his wife tragically died while he was filming this movie and he decided, just days after her death, to come back and finish his work on the film, I think we can give him a pass this time around.

Sadly, the story felt a bit too familiar for me. This film, a remake of a 2003 French movie called Nathalie, was co-written by Nathalie's screenwriter and seemed to suffer from a bit of Hollywood syndrome. I haven't seen Nathalie, but I wonder how different (if at all) the ending is to Chloe, not shackled by the Hollywood system. As a general rule, I prefer judging movies on their own merits and try to avoid comparing them to other films; however, one could easily make the case that Chloe belongs in the same pack as the erotic thrillers of the 80's and 90's, but with an extra dose of Cialis tossed in to liven things up.

I can't shake the uneasy feeling that women are portrayed in a less-than-flattering light in this movie, although the beautiful actresses might lead you to believe otherwise. Chloe seems to condense Catherine's reason for existence into a typical "pleasing the husband" mindset and never devotes enough time to Chloe's character for the audience to understand her motivations. If you want to see more of Amanda Seyfried than you've ever seen before (both in terms of acting and, uh, assets) and more Julianne Moore than you'll ever want to see, Chloe is the film for you. Unfortunately, that's about all I can promise from this one. Until next time...

Mystery Team

(Update: I interviewed Derrick Comedy for GeekTyrant.com about Mystery Team. Check it out here.)

In 2005, the members of Derrick Comedy met at NYU and started producing short comedy videos for release on the internet. After substantial success online, the group decided to make their first feature film in 2008. The result is Mystery Team, a hilarious take on 80's kid detective stories that proves that the guys (and girl) of Derrick Comedy are here to stay.

Mystery Team
Director: Dan Eckman
Starring: Donald Glover, DC Pierson, Dominic Dierkes


In a quaint suburban town seemingly devoid of time period, a group of three former child detectives remains friends and still solves cases even though they're about to graduate from high school. Calling themselves the Mystery Team, the group dresses like overgrown children (Donald Glover's character buttons the top button of his polo shirt; DC Pierson's character has a perpetual bowl cut), still charges ten cents per case, and are berated by their schoolmates and teachers for not growing up. The group communicates via walkie-talkie, and even has a crude wooden stand set up in the front lawn with a hand-painted sign detailing their mantra: "No case too small, no case too tough."


There's Jason (Glover) the master of disguise; Duncan (Pierson), the boy genius; and Charlie (Dierkes), the strongest kid in town. When the Mystery Team gets a case from a young girl and her sister, they are shocked to discover this case isn't something simple like who stuck a finger in a pie (a case they solved early in the movie): the girls' parents have been murdered. The trio decides this is their chance to solve a serious case and prove to everyone that they're "real detectives."


This movie has a brilliant mix of innocence and filthy language. The dichotomy between these characters (who have never said a swear word before) and the ridiculous situations they get into, including run-ins with drug dealers, strippers, and psychotic corrupt employees, is fresh and original. Mystery Team feels like a Steven Spielberg movie from the mid-80's (or a flick with a similar tone, Monster Squad), but instead of keeping that innocence throughout, it's given an R-rated injection. Obviously, fans of Derrick Comedy will know what kind of humor to expect and will surely be pleased with the movie.


Donald Glover's performance is infectious and hilarious - with "Community" renewed for a second season and his Comedy Central stand-up act hitting the airwaves a few nights ago, he is poised to break into the next level of stardom. The rest of the cast, including guest spots from Aubrey Plaza ("Parks and Recreation"), Bobby Moynihan ("Saturday Night Live"), Ellie Kemper (Erin from "The Office"), and charismatic actor/comedian Matt Walsh, fit in perfectly with the universe created for this movie.

As far as complaints go, I felt like Charlie's character was a bit underwritten, but he was clearly the comic relief and didn't really need a huge backstory or important arc of his own. Also, Moynihan's character felt a bit incomplete, but that's because he was only able to film for a few hours over the course of one day for the production.


Director Dan Eckman did a good job of making the film feel cinematic, a task none too easy for a group known for their short online videos. My favorite shot in the movie, a long tracking shot on baseball field, was particularly impressive. There is, perhaps, and over-reliance on rack focus shots, but I feel like that's a typical crutch for first-time directors (I'm guilty of this as well) and I think it's an issue that I'm sure Eckman will correct with his next project.

If you're looking for a fresh R-rated comedy, here's your solution. I can't wait to see what these guys (and girl) put out next. Until next time...