I'm all for attempting innovation and being abstract and I understand to a certain extent I feel what director Richard Ayoade was trying to do here, but that it just isn't all that compelling and thus the reason I found it to be so dull. In fact, I felt like the whole time I was watching Ayoade's sophomore effort that I'd already seen this film and to much better and more engaging effect in
Enemy. I liked his previous effort, 2010's
Submarine, fine enough but never found it to be anything substantial or anything that moved me or left a mark in any way, but the idea alone of watching Jesse Eisenberg and his two distinct but recognizable personas go at it throughout the course of a film was intriguing enough on paper that to see it come to fruition must be an interesting experience to say the least. As
The Double rolled on and it became more and more evident that I wasn't going to be able to pick up what Ayoade was laying down I became all the more disappointed in myself strangely enough because unlike with
Under the Skin, I truly feel like I'm missing something here, that Ayoade is such a clever, witty and intelligent individual that I must be missing a point or metaphorical reason he chose to convey this simple story in such an unconventional manner. Sure, I could applaud him for being daring and different in the way that he constructs his own world and his own society and his own rules in which that society functions that is just different enough from ours to be weird and the people act just weird enough in conjunction with the world that it all seems a little out of left field, a little uncomfortable and because of that I appreciate it rather than look down upon it because, well, at least he's trying. The fact of the matter though is that trying to be different and actually accomplishing something original are two completely different things and whether it simply be because I enjoyed the style and tone that director Denis Villeneuve employed on
Enemy more than that of Ayoade's here I feel
Enemy accomplished that level of uniqueness to greater effect than what
The Double leaves you with. Why did I stick the film out if I only saw it crashing and burning the moment I realized it wasn't going to be my cup of tea? Maybe to prove I can appreciate the academic, open mind of an artist and at least try to draw some meaning from it, but instead with this I was left with nothing to ponder and no questions that burned. Full review
here.
D
Over the past two years I have abstained from reviewing Adam Sandler's yearly comedic efforts, but still managed to somehow see
Grown Ups 2 last year. I imagine that will again happen this year with
Blended, though I doubt I will mind as much because I genuinely enjoyed both
The Wedding Singer and
50 First Dates. Sandler looks to be on an upswing later this year starring in both Jason Reitman and Thomas McCarthy's latest films as well as next years fun-sounding
Pixels that clearly isn't one of his typical Happy Madison productions. Hopefully this that might bring a bright spot to a career that has been floundering as of late, but for now we are stuck with this.
The sole release this week I look forward to catching up on. I heard a lot of strong word-of-mouth surrounding
Belle and saw trailers for it as far back as last October, but by the time it made its way to my neck of the woods this summer I felt no urgency to rush out and see it to review it. I likely still won't write anything about the film (unless it's included in my next
What Else I'm Watching) but regardless, I look forward to seeing the film.
Who even knew this was a major theatrical release? Apparently no one because
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return is now considered one of the biggest bombs in box office history. My interest level couldn't be lower.
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