Arriving in our cinemas in the spring, the latest trailer for Richard Ayoade’s The Double has arrived, setting the tone very nicely for one of the most unique films of the year.
Loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic novella, the comedy/dramatic-thriller stars Jesse Eisenberg in the dual leading roles opposite Mia Wasikowska.
The film bowed out in Toronto last year – you can read our review here – before crossing the Atlantic for an appearance at the BFI London Film Festival, which is where I saw the film. It’s another instant hit from Ayoade, who made a brilliant directorial debut with Submarine, and is very much still on form with this sophomore feature.
Simon is a timid man, scratching out an isolated existence in an indifferent world. He is overlooked at work, scorned by his mother, and ignored by the woman of his dreams. He feels powerless to change any of these things. The arrival of a new co-worker, James, serves to upset the balance. James is both Simon’s exact physical double and his opposite – confident, charismatic and good with women. To Simon’s horror, James slowly starts taking over his life.
Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, and Yasmin Paige complete the leading cast, with a number of great appearances from Chris O’Dowd, Craig Roberts, James Fox, Paddy Considine, and Sally Hawkins.
Ayoade directs from a script he co-wrote with Avi Korine (Mister Lonely), with Michael Caine serving as executive producer.
The Double will be released in the UK and Ireland on 4th April, before getting a limited theatrical release alongside its On Demand release in the US from May 9th.
Source: Dazed.
