Review of Duplicity (2009) by Jack F — 15 Sep 2010

"Duplicity" is part romantic comedy, part spy/espionage adventure, and part con game. Somehow, amazingly, it works on all levels, and I'm about as picky as one can get when it comes to rom-coms. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts star as Ray and Claire, he an MI6 operative, she an agent for the CIA. They have a chance encounter in which Claire seduces Ray, drugs him, and steals his top secret documents. Years later they cross each others' paths again, only this time they're now working in the private sector for competing companies in the shampoo industry. But that's just the tip of the iceberg as "Duplicity" weaves a complex and interesting web of deceit and double-crosses, not only between Ray and Claire, but also between the corporations they work for, run by Howard Tully and Richard Garsik (played by the great character actors Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti).

The movie was written and directed by Tony Gilroy, whose previous film was the outstanding "Michael Clayton." Though it's not as good as that little gem, "Duplicity" retains some of the elements that made the prior film such a success, from the crackling dialogue, beautiful cinematography, and excellent interplay between the characters. Roberts and Owen in particular have some very witty, snappy exchanges between them, and it helps create some great chemistry. As the labyrinthine plot unfolds â??and unfolds, and unfolds--we're given flashbacks to reveal characters' motivations, and we learn that not everybody is who they seem. We know there's a con going on, and we suspect we know who is conning whom, but there's always a gnawing feeling of uncertainty permeating beneath the surface. That's part of the fun of this film, the knowledge that it may not end the way we expect. There's always a Big Reveal at the end of these kinds of movies, and I'm pleased to report that I guessed wrong and that the movie fooled me.

Though the plot is satisfactory enough to make the film work on the spy/con game level, it's the leads that also make it work as a romantic comedy. Clive Owen is one of my favorite actors, a versatile performer who is capable of many different types of roles. We can now add charming leading man to his resume. I last saw Julia Roberts in the bloated, melodramatic "Eat Pray Love," and her role here, by comparison, is a breath of fresh air. Although she herself was not bad in the previous movie (she was actually quite good), her character was annoying, bitchy and whiny. Claire, on the other hand, is clever, witty, and just plain interesting, and Roberts is more than capable of displaying these traits. It's fun to watch these two banter back and forth, trying to determine where each other's loyalties lie.

To be sure, there's nothing overly deep about "Duplicity." It's certainly not the best entry in any of the genres it encompasses. It's merely stylish entertainment, a fun way to spend a couple hours. But since when is that such a bad thing? Decent rom-coms are in short supply, and when the movie also works in other capacities, that only increases its appeal. Gilroy has a knack for creating interesting characters and placing them in intricate plots, and one can only hope that he continues to develop this talent in his future endeavors.