Enemy (2013)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah GadonRuntime: 91 minutes
Synopsis: A man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.
Performances: 10/10
Screenplay: 10/10
Editing: 9/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10
Screenplay: 10/10
Editing: 9/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10
Verdict: "Chaos is order yet undeciphered."
Denis Villeneuve's least accessible film to date opens with these mysterious words. And as "Enemy" progresses, chaos and confusion appear more and more to be a recurrent theme of what at one point in time was my favorite movie ever.
The premise on paper appears to be simple: While watching a movie recommended to him by a coworker, a history teacher, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is shocked to discover that one of the actors resembles him to the last detail. He then naturally becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about his doppelganger, who's revealed to be a married man expected to soon become a father. Without getting into spoilers or interpretations, I think that it's important to mention that this movie is not a straightforward narrative that goes from A to Z and then ends. It's a film that will keep you speculating throughout it and well after it's over. One that will necessitate more than just the one viewing to comprehend, something I still haven't completely achieved myself, as I still discover new things about it every time I revisit it. And that is why I absolutely love it. Through Jake Gyllenhaal's incredible performance and the subtle clues sprinkled all over the gorgeously shot film, Villeneuve manages to keep the interested audience guessing, analyzing each and every frame to make sure they have every piece of the puzzle.
It's difficult to say much more about "Enemy" without spoiling some aspects of it. I wouldn't recommend it to everybody but people who enjoy a good psychological thriller that isn't necessarily showing things as they are must give this one a try.
Denis Villeneuve's least accessible film to date opens with these mysterious words. And as "Enemy" progresses, chaos and confusion appear more and more to be a recurrent theme of what at one point in time was my favorite movie ever.
The premise on paper appears to be simple: While watching a movie recommended to him by a coworker, a history teacher, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is shocked to discover that one of the actors resembles him to the last detail. He then naturally becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about his doppelganger, who's revealed to be a married man expected to soon become a father. Without getting into spoilers or interpretations, I think that it's important to mention that this movie is not a straightforward narrative that goes from A to Z and then ends. It's a film that will keep you speculating throughout it and well after it's over. One that will necessitate more than just the one viewing to comprehend, something I still haven't completely achieved myself, as I still discover new things about it every time I revisit it. And that is why I absolutely love it. Through Jake Gyllenhaal's incredible performance and the subtle clues sprinkled all over the gorgeously shot film, Villeneuve manages to keep the interested audience guessing, analyzing each and every frame to make sure they have every piece of the puzzle.
It's difficult to say much more about "Enemy" without spoiling some aspects of it. I wouldn't recommend it to everybody but people who enjoy a good psychological thriller that isn't necessarily showing things as they are must give this one a try.
FINAL GRADE: 10/10
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