We went to see Duplicity a few nights ago. I would describe this movie as Oceans 11 meets Michael Clayton. Okay, to be honest I haven't seen Michael Clayton, but its Oscar-nominated writer/director Tony Gilroy also penned and directed Duplicity. It has the same theme of corporate espionage but with that Oceans 11 caper feel and wry humor.
The plot - without giving too much away - follows the complicated story of Ray (Clive Owens) & Claire (Julia Roberts), one ex-MI6 and one ex-CIA, working together (or are they?) to steal and sell corporate secrets from two rival companies. They're in love (or are they?) but their skills at lying and subterfuge, which make them so good at their jobs, make them rather bad at maintaining a trusting relationship. Just like the characters themselves, we're kept guessing as to who's gaming who, who's to be trusted, and whether or not Ray & Claire will make it out with their relationship intact.
Overall I enjoyed the film - it was a quick-witted and well-written romp of a spy/caper movie, and I appreciated the subtle maturity that the lead actors brought to the roles. Alongside countless similar films, it was their performances that took this movie to the next level. Their interpretation of the roles, alongside the sophisticated script, gave the film a classic feel - not that it felt dated, but rather that it seemed the type of movie that could've been made forty years ago starring Audrey Hepburn & Cary Grant. Stylish, sleek, playful.
I'd forgotten how enjoyable it could be to watch Julia Roberts on the big screen. She laughed her famous laugh and smiled her famous smile and did a fine job playing the strong character of Claire, who's not sure if she can trust her man but doesn't mind having a little fun with him while she figures it all out.
And can we talk for a minute about Clive Owen? He's a particularly yummy brand of good-looking, that one. He's got sort of a rough edge that keeps him from veering towards the pretty, but with a twist of don't-I-look-fine-in-this-suit. Add in a dash of swoon-inducing British accent and you've covered my bases for leading man material. I liked that the story set you up to believe his character Ray more than Julia's Claire. Or at least, I had that feeling, that he was more ready to trust and play it straight than she was.
The ancillary characters, particularly the rivaling corporate CEOs played by Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti, filled in the scenes nicely. It was very funny to see the polar opposite ways in which Wilkinson and Giamatti played their characters, and they share the film's only (humorously shot in slow motion) fight scene. If you can call it that. Man, it's hard to write a review for a movie where you can't give even the slightest plot points away without ruining something!
The fun of Duplicity is in watching Ray & Claire - and by extension Roberts & Owen themselves - having fun with one another. I would definitely recommend! Oh, and a word of advice: pay attention! The twists and turns are all over the place and this is a smart movie that expects a smart audience to keep up.
Watch the trailer here:
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