Review of Dead Ringers (1988) by Dream # — 19 Jul 2006

Well, that is a terrible title. And I apologize. But I'm not changing it. So there.

Anyways, [b]16 Blocks[/b] is just pretty average. Bruce Willis ("Lucky Number Slevin") plays an aging cop (again). He's good at the role, but I've seen him do it before, and better. Mos Def ("Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") is turning into quite a good actor. But his accent in this made me crazy. I really wanted someone to gag him. So, this movie is okay, but it's no Hostage.

David Cronenberg ("A History of Violence") is fast becoming my favorite director. His films are always fascinating and usually disturbing. [b]Dead Ringers[/b] is no exception. Jeremy Irons ("Casanova") stars as twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle. They share everything, including women, until Beverly falls for an actress and wants to keep her all to himself. Then things start to fall apart. Ringers isn't as gross as most of Cronenberg's films, though there is one scene. It does touch on many of his common themes, science and the body, sex and violence., transformation. The cinematography is awesome, creating a very insular world in which the twins live. But as amazing as the film is, it would not have worked with out the brilliance of Irons. He gives himself over to the twins, creating distinct personalities for both Bev and Elly. Amazing. I wasn't an Irons fan before, but I most certainly am now. See this movie!

[b]Arthur[/b] is on the AFI's Top 100 Laughs list. And some of it is quite funny. Dudley Moore ("Blame It on the Bellboy") stars as a happy, rich drunk who stands to loose his inheritance if he doesn't marry the woman his father has chosen for him. He caves in, but, on the eve of his engagement, he meets Liza Minnelli ("The OH in Ohio") and falls for her. Though Moore is constantly wizecracking, and it's occasionally funny, the real laughs come from his butler, John Gielgud ("Elizabeth"), who won an Oscar for his role. Gielgud's deadpan is more hilarious than Moore's outlandishness could ever be. Enjoyable, but mostly forgettable, film.