Movie review

Duplicity

Just for a start, I’d like to announce that I enjoy and prefer a rational and organized approach to watching Movies; like a Friday following a Thursday and the logical expectation that a player will look older in a scene some 12 months hence.

Coincidentally, a movie, a play or even a footy match usually follow this sequential pattern of events.

Funny that !

As much of the in-built duplicity into the flow of things was well handled and had moments, both witty and clever, the recent release, DUPLICITY, became a fragmented back and forward sequence of time and effort.

Just when the plots, and there were many, were becoming established, I was dragged back  in time to ponder some of the build up to the scenes to which we were currently riveted. Explanatory notes were not good. It simply fragmented the film.

DUPLICITY features a couple of well credentialed corporate sleuths who end up colluding but without each others total confidence, to seek vast personal gain at the expense of two USA styled big hitters in the hair care industry. These two were seeking market domination of some product or another. The build up to the sting was energetic and clever. It had many stages. Some of the great lines delivered by super star Julia Roberts were genuinely clinical and even duplicitous in background.

The back and forth banter from both Roberts and co-star Clive Owen, from the teasing moments at their initial reunion to their regular dalliances, back and forward as they were, was very entertaining. 

But just when the plot was becoming interesting and I was enthusiastically wanting to go to the next page, I was dragged back, not a couple of day, but in one instance, 8 months.

Annoying and without terribly much success.

The corporate support staff, played by actors not well known, were mind bogglingly IT clever with script being totally confined to gadgetry, connivance and spin. The CEO big hitters were less so, both contributing to a less than convincing ending.

I’ve been a Roberts fan, going back to the delightful MYSTIC PIZZA, screened in 1982. She does a lot of things really well and is justifiably seen to be the most bankable of actors.

I have a habit of seeing movies a second time just to indulge in the highlights picked up the first time. DUPLICITY, because of its complexity, won’t be one of them.