As I began to prepare writing this review, I noticed something rather shocking: not only had it been almost three weeks since I had been inside a movie theater, I hadn't even watched anything on DVD. Seriously, that's quite a stretch for me. Of course, the fact I had to deal with finals and then take a drive out to Atlanta had something to do with my lack of movie going. Another important factor, however, is that it's Spring and this is the season of mediocrity -- come on, do you think Paul Blart's Mall Cop was number one at the box office because it was such a quality film? Spring is when the studios shake out their "well, I'm sure there's some idiot who wants to see this" movies. Summertime is the big blockbuster and the fall and winter are the "prestige" films -- the ones that are hoping to get some major award. Spring is just blech.
Duplicity, while most definitely not "blech," isn't too far off. The film is serviceable light comedy. I've heard other critics rave about the crazy twists in the movie. I'm dumbfounded by this just as I'm dumbfounded by people who tell me that movies like Syriana is too confusing and difficult to follow. I understand that a film like Syriana is a little more complicated than the average film but it's not Dostoevsky. If you pay attention to what's going on, it's not that hard to unravel. LIkewise, while Duplicity isn't necessarily predictable, there's nothing in the film that made me go, "whoah ... didn't see that coming."
I think the best thing I can say about Duplicity is that it's clever -- but clever much like that one kid in class who knows all the answers and won't shut up about it (hmmm, I think that may have been me back in the day). In other words, the film is clever but it's not brilliant. It's clever and it takes too much pleasure in its own cleverness: oh look at me, aren't I all interesting and whatnot.
Of course, the ladies -- the J included -- can always sit through anything with Clive Owen. I think I'm the same way with Natalie Portman ... there's a lot of crap I'm willing to sit through (oh, like perhaps the last three Star Wars films) if there's Natalie Portman somewhere on the screen. Like I said, I think this is fine popcorn fair. It's a lazy Spring movie that will soon be forgotten.
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