Writer: Michael Thomas
Starring: Dominic Cooper
Phillip Quast
Ludivine Sagnier
Raad Rawi
Mimoun Oaissa
Rating: ****
Home Release: 26/12/11
Based on the life and story of Latif Yahia, comes a disturbing and intense story of Suddam Hussein's "3rd son".
Latif (Cooper) is an Iraqi who is forced against his will to act as a body double for Uday Hussein (Cooper), Saddam's son. He is thrown into a grotesque world of glamour, sex and violence, and is forced into an emotional and moral battle with himself. Eventually his treatment, and the way Uday treats others becomes to much so he attempts to escape, but Uday is hot on his tracks and the nightmare is never over.
Cooper is absolutely fantastic, and this is his best role to date. While he is able to handle the maniacal and psychotic nature of Uday with ease, the real skill comes in when trying to play Latif, and he really does the role a justice. The journey he takes Latif is superb and you can really see him trying to hold back his emotions and restrain himself both physically and mentally. Clearly this is a whole new world to him, and he was never ready or willing to take it on, and it obviously takes a strain on him.What he also does brilliantly is show just how different the two men are. He is able to play two such polar opposites, with out turning it into a pantomime, and that is really commendable. I don't know if he will get a look in this award season, but I really think he should, because he does a superb job handling what is extremely dark and disturbing material.
The rest of the cast add the emotions that the film needs to move along, and it is clear that everybody working for Uday dislike him, but do as he pleases to stay alive. Sarrab (Sagnier) is a young woman who was taken against her will for Uday to use for sex and nothing else. She hates Uday just as much as Latif, and it when she realises how kind Latif is that she falls for him, and tries to help him, even when on the run. Suddam (Quast) comes across as a fairly sane person in this film, now I know he was evil but next to Uday he does come across as normal. I have a feeling that this is done on purpose, because everybody knows just how insane Suddam was, so to make him look plain next to Uday really projects just how evil his son was.
The direction by Tamahori is intense, exciting and fast paced, and what I find truly amazing is the way he can take something so horrible, and turn it into a fast paced thriller, without it being offensive or in bad taste. The way he moulds the characters and develops the story is outstanding, and despite the gruesome subject it actually is an enjoyable movie. The acting is fantastic, and luckily the writing ties everything together perfectly, creating one of the most thrilling and eye opening films of the year. It is out on DVD mid December, and I definitely recommend it to fans of this genre. (It is quite gory, dark and disturbing so be warned)Cooper is absolutely fantastic, and this is his best role to date. While he is able to handle the maniacal and psychotic nature of Uday with ease, the real skill comes in when trying to play Latif, and he really does the role a justice. The journey he takes Latif is superb and you can really see him trying to hold back his emotions and restrain himself both physically and mentally. Clearly this is a whole new world to him, and he was never ready or willing to take it on, and it obviously takes a strain on him.What he also does brilliantly is show just how different the two men are. He is able to play two such polar opposites, with out turning it into a pantomime, and that is really commendable. I don't know if he will get a look in this award season, but I really think he should, because he does a superb job handling what is extremely dark and disturbing material.
The rest of the cast add the emotions that the film needs to move along, and it is clear that everybody working for Uday dislike him, but do as he pleases to stay alive. Sarrab (Sagnier) is a young woman who was taken against her will for Uday to use for sex and nothing else. She hates Uday just as much as Latif, and it when she realises how kind Latif is that she falls for him, and tries to help him, even when on the run. Suddam (Quast) comes across as a fairly sane person in this film, now I know he was evil but next to Uday he does come across as normal. I have a feeling that this is done on purpose, because everybody knows just how insane Suddam was, so to make him look plain next to Uday really projects just how evil his son was.
The Devil's Double - Trailer
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