"Duplicity", likely one of this year's most forgettable films, feels like someone over at Universal Pictures decided to attempt a resurrection of Julia Roberts' long dead talent while desperately trying to reinvigorate Clive Owen's barely launched career. And while the effort was commendable- it seems like it would be a definite success with Oscar nominees Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson, and writer/director Tony Gilroy- it just isn't likely to revitalize either actor's prospects.
Despite all it seems to have going for it, "Duplicity" turns out stale. Michael Clayton director Tony Gilory fails to deliver anything more than a series of gimmicks and unforgiving "Gotchas!" throughout the film. "Duplicity" doesn't indulge the paying audience for a moment, choosing instead to string them along through a tiring series of deceptions without providing a single reason to actually care. It expects the viewers to somehow feel fascinated as ridiculous twists are continually shoved in their faces.
The film meanders about recklessly through a series of flashbacks that most people just won't comprehend. One minute, Ray Koval (Owen) and Claire Stenwick (Roberts) share bed sheets in Dubai after just meeting and swapping cliche one-liners. The next, a pair of rival corporate CEOs, Richard Garsik (Giamatti) and Howard Tully (Wilkinson), with a bit of surplus under the belt and pork all over, duke it out ineffectually in slow motion on a runway. Then back to Ray and Claire who are apparently shocked to run into each other while working a bit of espionage between the two rival companies. And then on to various flashbacks of them behaving in completely inconsistent ways in completely unexplained situations in completely random locations all over the world. Some people might find it a tad confusing.
Nothing is as it seems and every character's agenda turns out not at all what you're led to believe. A bit of love story is tossed in between all the betrayals, which might have kept it interesting had the characters been the least bit endearing. Perhaps it's the poorly constructed story format to blame, but it's hard to find a reason in "Duplicity" to care about anybody or anything happening to them. To sum it up, the underdeveloped and uninteresting characters mull about their feelings for each other while pulling off an overcomplicated heist with unsatisfactory results. It all comes together in a very "Ocean's Eleven" sense but without any of the fun or charisma.
The viewer ends up second-guessing every scene in the film, which really isn't an exciting way to watch a movie that doesn't reveal any of the cards in its hand before slapping down several from its sleeve. Are you supposed to be delighted that you aren't permitted to know the true intent behind any action throughout the entire movie until the disappointing end? How can Gilroy, the screenwriter who adapted the "Bourne" series, so thoroughly bungle intrigue?
It's unclear why Julia Roberts and Clive Owen are even in this picture. Apart from a few swings at animation voice acting and a shoddy phoned-in performance in "Charlie Wilson's War", Roberts hasn't enjoyed a success in almost a decade. Meanwhile Owen, though earning a bit of critical acclaim here and there, has been an utter disaster at the box office for the better part of his career. You have to wonder if somebody owed someone a couple of favors, or if they genuinely thought starring these two actors would be a good idea. It wasn't. They lack chemistry and certainly won't pull much weight at the box office. Probably the greatest achievement of these two leads is their ability to retain some sex appeal past the age of forty.
Paul Giamatti delivers some of the only entertainment to be found in "Duplicity". Giamatti's character Richard Garsik might be the only thing you remember from this movie. His plotline stands alone in not getting jumbled during the tangle of flashbacks, and his antics are most likely the only ones that will hold your attention. He delivers a fine performance, though nothing outstanding. His final sequence is delightfully amusing and preaches brazenly against the greed of corporate America.
"Duplicity" squanders a potentially interesting story on a lacking screenplay. The dialogue is contrived rather than clever. And though many of the lines are intentionally concocted as part of a slew of schemes, it just doesn't excuse the lack of substance to the interactions. For trying to be such an intelligent film, there's nothing here for the audience to really contemplate.
Poorly paced and dully played, there's not enough excitement to make "Duplicity" a thriller. Lacking in depth or genuine emotion, there's not enough feeling to make it a drama. The only wit feels too forced to be considered humor.
While certainly not the worst film in theaters, "Duplicity" will make you wish you had chosen another title instead. This movie, despite the big names, is definitely a rental flick.