Duplicity

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 2:05 Long
A Review by:
The Dude on the Right

Duplicity
Movie Stats & Links
Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen
MPAA Rated: PG-13
Released By: Universal Home Entertainment
Release Date: 2009
Kiddie Movie: They’d be bored. Really bored.
Date Movie: My BFF liked the story but thought it was too long.
Gratuitous Sex: Julia Roberts getting naked would have been shocking, and there is an almost side shot, and they are romantic, but nah.
Gratuitous Violence: Nope.
Action: Nah.
Laughs: Not really.
Memorable Scene: The ending is supposed to be shocking, but by then I was just bored.
Memorable Quote: Nothing.
Directed By: Tony Gilroy

DVD Review
Two words can describe “Duplicity,” and those two words are simply, “Too long.”

Let’s start with the story…

In “Duplicity” we get two government agents, Ray (Clive Owen) and Claire (Julia Roberts). As it takes too long to develop, we eventually discover that Ray and Claire are disgruntled with the low-payingness of government work and realize that if they went into the private sector that they can use their spying skills to make some money. Eventually we figure out what we think is going on, namely that Ray and Claire have infiltrated two different corporate “intelligence” divisions, looking to spy on the rival corporation. But, in the case of Ray and Claire, they are looking to steal some corporate secrets and sell them to the highest bidder, and they think they have found their mark.

However, for our couple, their relationship is both business and personal, as they discovered with their first meeting that they have a sexual chemistry and as their history moves on, they have to covertly hook back up to keep things going. As the movie progresses we are treated to current time, to flash-backs, to wondering why this is happening again but in a different situation, to finally getting the big reveal that by the time it comes just seems to be a let-down. Also during it all we get the simple plot of if Ray and Claire can actually trust the other person not to screw them over.

As a basic movie I loved the premise dealing with corporate espionage, the two characters, Ray and Claire using their history as spies to infiltrate and steal corporate secrets, and they looked good together where you could almost believe the chemistry between the two of them. The problem comes in where the movie just continued to keep flipping the plot to keep trying to confuse you, the viewer, so that, as I said, at the end you just don’t care who is stealing what from whom.

I liked Julia Roberts in her role, Clive Owen was good, and I always love Paul Giamatti, but “Duplicity” really doesn’t need 2 hours to drag us through plot twist followed by plot twist followed by plot twist to get us to the eventual ending. Had the story been buttoned up to a little over an hour and a half I could have kept with it, but as I watching the DVD on the couch with my BFF, all I kept thinking about, an hour into the movie, was “where in the hell is this going” and “I wish I had my laptop so I could check my Facebook page.” It’s 2 stars out of 5 for “Duplicity” because it did trick me with the eventual ending, but by then it just seemed like such a waste of time.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Bourne Identity

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:59 Long
A Preview by:
The Dude on the Right

The Bourne Identity
Movie Stats & Links
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Gabriel Mann, Julia Stiles
MPAA Rated: PG-13
Released By: Universal Pictures
Release Date: 2002
Kiddie Movie:
Date Movie:
Gratuitous Sex:
Gratuitous Violence:
Action:
Laughs:
Memorable Scene:
Memorable Quote:
Directed By: Doug Liman

Matt Damon plays Jason Bourne. He wakes up one day nearly dead and not remembering who he is. He also wonders why people are trying to kill him and how he has these great abilities to shoot, hide, disappear, and fight. Bourne has a few clues as to his identity, but not much to go on, he hooks up with a dudette, and runs around Paris wishing he could remember who he really is.

The movie is based on a book by Robert Ludlum, and the trailer looks to be action-packed, but there is some initial word that the movie isn’t that good. I’ll see it anyway, and I’m sure guys won’t have a problem getting to see this movie because the dudettes will come along to see Matt Damon.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
—-
Preview update….
I’m sick of this trailer. They seem to attach it before most any movie and I can’t wait for this movie to come out. Not because I think it will be good, my usual inkling is that if they overkill a trailer the movie is going to suck. I’m hoping for more, but right now this movie is looking bad. I just want the trailers to stop.

That’s it for this update! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Children of Men

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:54 Long
A Preview by:
The Dude on the Right

Children of Men
Movie Stats & Links
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine
MPAA Rated: R
Released By: Universal Pictures
Release Date: 2006
Directed By: Alfonso Cuaron

Right now I don’t know who to believe. I suppose I’ve got to believe the official web site, because it says “Children of Men” opens December 25th, but IMDB shows it opening on September 29th. It does seem like a weird movie to open on Christmas day, unless of course you tie-in the “birth that will save the world” thing, but here’s the basic story…

It’s a few years from now, and for whatever reason that no one can seem to figure out, no one can get pregnant, and that means we are facing our own extinction. Science is baffled, the public is going crazy, and the cities are not safe places to live. Then some underground folks find a pregnant girl, and they must get her to the safety where the public won’t tear her apart, and scientists can safely study her and make sure she actually delivers that child.

Looks like a wacky futuristic movie, but nothing to fantastic at this point. I guess this is on my “wait and see” list right now.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!