The Double

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Coming to DVD from director Michael Brandt and Image Entertainment comes a look at espionage from all angles trying to track “The Double”.

This film tells the story of Paul Shepardson (Richard Gere), a retired CIA operative being called back into the world of Soviet espionage. Looking for a spy named Cassius, Paul is asked to pair up with Ben Geary, (Topher Grace) an up and coming analyst.

Following a trail that leads everywhere, Paul and Ben try to nail down everyone associated with Cassius. Ben begins to suspect Paul of not telling the truth about the case they are following and starts a search of his own to discover that everything isn’t, as it seems.

The two come head-to-head and truth-to-truth when there is no way to escape what they both come to know.

FINAL WORD: Gere in the role of Shepardson is very cold and straightforward. His character has a job to do and he won’t stop until it is done. Gere has the ability to hold that straight face needed to pull off this role. He plays the role close to the chest until the very end.

Grace as Geary is a hungry CIA agent who wants to catch the bad guy and prove his theory. Sometimes forgetting his wife and children over trying to solve the case of the ages puts him at odds. That being said the twists and turns allow Grace to get away with missing the clues, nicely done.

The DVD includes audio commentary by writer/director Michael Brandt and producer Derek Haas. There is a featurette along with the trailer of the film.

Other cast include: Martin Sheen as Tom Highland, Stephen Moyer as Brutus, Tamer Hassan as Bozlovski, Chris Marquette as Oliver, Odette Annabe as Natalie Geary, Randy Flagler as Martin Miller and Stana Katic as Amber.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “The Double” three tubs of popcorn out of five. There are several layers to the film that are great to follow. This is a film from the writers of “Wanted” and “3:10 to Yuma” which are both fantastic films. “The Double” will leave you guessing until the very last moment.

In the end – keep your enemies close.