At the Movies: Duplicity

Duplicity is a romantic comedy / action / spy thriller staring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Co-staring in the movie is the wonderful Paul Giamatti alongside Tom Wilkenson. Incidentally, their slow motion fight sequence five minutes into the movie might have had the biggest laugh.

Overall, the plot is about two spies (Ray and Claire) putting their "skills" to use in order to get a $40 million payday. While the con concept displayed in Duplicity is very reminiscent of the Ocean's 11 movies, the the quick banter between two untrustworthy ex-spies is quite nice. They are forever entrenched in a game of cat and mouse.

While the script could have been better, the ensemble is easily able to carry the film. As always, Clive Owen comes off as cool and charming. He is even able to display a bit of dry humor at times, which is a refreshing change of pace for him. Though Tom Wilkenson and Julia Roberts are effective, Paul Giamatti steals the show.*

*A quick aside: When doesn't Paul Giamatti steal the show? Seriously, how has he not been nominated for best actor?

The film is meant to be cool, relevant, and stylish; it pulls it off for the most part. With lots of flashy camera work, flashbacks, and secret signals, the audience is always trying to catch up to the action. The plot is always changing, and the audience is always trying to figure out who is playing who, who knows what, and what is going to happen next. Again, the script is very similar to other spy / corporate espionage movies, but who cares...

Is it worth seeing? Yes, Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti are always good, and the plot is simple enough to follow without boring the life out of you.

Theater or rental? Rental. If you have the money, feel free to see it at on the big screen. Otherwise, it is a movie that you can watch on the couch without missing much. There aren't any large explosions or amazing open air shots, so save your money or see it at the dollar theater.