THE DOUBLE
US, 2011, 98 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Martin Sheen, Tamar Hassan, Stephen Moyer.
Directed by Michael Brandt.
The Double is a film about espionage, memories of the Cold War, antagonism towards Russia, political assassinations, double agents and betrayal.
The film was written and directed by Michael Brandt, writer of a wide range of films including 2 Fast 2 Furious, Catch that Kid, Wanted.
The film is a star vehicle for Richard Gere, at first playing a seemingly retired agent who turns out to be the double of the film, instructed by Martin Sheen as his boss to investigate and assess the assassin who, in fact, is himself. However, British actor Tamar Hassan is using the code name for further assassinations in the United States.
Topher Grace appears as an up-and-coming research agent, who has written a thesis on the assassin played by Richard Gere, Cassius. He is assigned to assist Gere in investigating the killings of Cassius. He is an intellectual, has a wife and young child at home, both becoming the concern of Gere. However, there is a final twist involving Soviet sleepers in the United States making Grace himself a double.
While the film has something of a convoluted plot, it is interesting, has arresting performances. Which is something of a puzzle the course the film received very little commercial release before DVD and television.
1. Interest in espionage films? The cold war? The present? The different generations of agents? Double agents?
2. Washington, DC, the CIA, the atmosphere, the cold war warriors, the sequences in Europe, atmosphere? The opening and migration through Mexico? The musical score?
3. The situation, the death of the senator, the indications that he was murdered by Cassius? The reminder of the past? The decisions of the authorities, the meetings, Tom Highland, calling in Paul, his living in comfortable retirement, unwilling to go into action, the pressure of the request, the nature of the investigation, the assigning of Ben as his assistant?
4. Paul, Richard Gere and his style? His life, relationships? Being called in, the meeting, the revelation to the audience of his identity? Audience curious as to his investigation? His cover? His working with Ben, the tensions, Ben and his theories? The thesis on Cassius? Paul and his ability to cover himself?
5. Paul, his past, double agents, his skills, his capacity to conceal his past, his personal search? His aloofness towards Ben?
6. Ben, his background, CIA position, his thesis, studying Cassius, his skills, searching for evidence, his theories, based on his thesis? The sequences with his family, his wife, children?
7. The portrait of the CIA, authorities, the concern, issues and the present? The search for Cassius, his being in the United States? The contrast with Brutus?
8. The details of the search for Cassius? The Russian and his being in Washington, migration through Mexico? In action, his reputation, skills, murderer? Paul and the confrontation, killing him, making the evidence indicate that he was Cassius?
9. Paul and his visit to Nat, the messages, his warnings? Her apprehensions?
10. Paul and Ben and the investigation, Paul warning Ben, trying to protect him? Paul being in the photos, Paul’s presence in each photo? The conclusion that Ben drew? The discovery of the truth, the truth about Ben, his being a sleeper, his sleeper life, being activated? Paul and Ben and the confrontation? Paul protecting him - and his motivations?
11. The flashbacks to Paul’s life, the assassinations, the targets, his achieving his goals?
12. A satisfying thriller, a psychological thriller? Cat and mouse?
13. Authentic feel, the situations, the bosses, the agents, the deadly activity, the players, lies, deep cover?
