ENEMY

Canada, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sara Gadon, Isabella Rossellini.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.


Enemy is a brief film with more than a touch of the weird. But, it is of particular interest as a film by the Canadian director Dennis Villeneuve, whose film the excellent Incendies was nominated for Best Foreign Language film, Villeneuve following it up with the English-language excellent drama, Prisoners.

Jake Gyllenhaal was one of the stars of Prisoners. Here he has the opportunity to play two characters, doubles, who discover each other, meet and discuss, find that each has a relationship – and, at the end, each decides to pass himself off to the women as their husband or partner.

There is no particular resolution, the interest being in the characterisations of the two men, their interactions, the experience with the women.

The two women are played by Melanie Laurent and Sara Gadon while there is a sequence with Isabella Rossellini as one of the men’s mothers.

The film opens with a strange colour scheme, yellow and black, dark corridors, light and shade, shadows which opens the film with a particular style, leading us into the experience of the doubles.

1. The film as something of a weird experience? The initial comment about chaos and order not having been yet deciphered? What was normal? Not?

2. The city of Toronto, the vistas, University lectures, offices, the streets, apartments? The blend of the real and the surreal?

3. Colour, light, darkness, silhouettes?

4. The title? The title of the novel, The Double?

5. The credibility of the plot, the two men and their identities?

6. Adam, his life, the initial corridors, the sexual performance, the audience of men? At home, his relationship with Mary and her coming and going? The style of his life, appearance, giving the lecture, talking about power and control? The chat with his friend, the recommendation of the film, where there’s a will, there’s a way? In the shop, watching, seeing his double? Curious, Googling, the films, going to the office on the Saturday, the security guard believing him, getting the parcel? His phoning Anthony? Talking with his wife, her apprehensiveness?

7. Anthony, his wife, her pregnancy, her suspicions?, Appearance, personality? The phone call from Adam, the decision to meet, the city, the talking, interrogating each other, tensions? Differences? The rapport?

8. Adam and his visits with his mother, that he was the sole child – but her comment about the third rate film career?

9. The effect of the experience, one following the other, to the university? Antony’s wife sitting on the bench?

10. The effect on both men, making decisions to go to the opposite women? Adam and his encounter with the pregnant wife, changing into Anthony’s clothes, his reticence, the sexual response? Anthony and the sex with Mary, her noticing his ring finger, upset, the drive and the crash?

11. Adam and his decision as to which identity he should take?