Duplicity DVD Review

Duplicity - A Universal Pictures Release

http://www.duplicitymovie.net/

On DVD: August 25th, 2009

Rated G

Running time: 125 minutes

Tony Gilroy (dir.)

Tony Gilroy (writer)

James Newton Howard (music)

Clive Owen as Ray Koval

Julia Roberts as Claire Stenwick

Tom Wilkinson as Howard Tully

Paul Giamatti as Richard Garsik

Our reviews below:

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Duplicity DVD Review By John C.

***1/2 (out of 4)

Tony Gilroy’s second film, after Michael Clayton, is a smart and cool spy vs. spy romantic-comedy. The Best Picture nominated Michael Clayton was a brilliant masterwork, but also very different than this film. It was a thriller, while Duplicity never has any real sense of danger. The mood is always light and fun.

It’s a story of corporate espionage, that travels the globe and is told in flashbacks. Paul Giamatti is hilarious as the head of Equikrom, and Tom Wilkinson is perfectly cast as the head of Burkett Randle. The two rival companies are spying on each other, with Equikrom trying to steal Burkett Randle's secret new product. The spies are played by Clive Owen (Equikrom), and Julia Roberts (Burkett Randle). What makes it more complicated is that they're in love with each other.

The film is at times confusing, but it’s all part of the fun. The dialogue is very smart, the cinematography is excellent, and it’s just so much fun to see Clive Owen and Julia Roberts playing off each other. The big twists are unpredictable and very cool.

The sole bonus feature on the DVD is audio commentary by writer/director Tony Gilroy and co-producer/editor John Gilroy.

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Duplicity DVD Review By Erin V.

***3/4 (out of 4)

In Duplicity, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen play a former CIA, and a former MI6 agent, (respectively), who go undercover in a great game of corporate espionage for two companies - Equikrom, and Burkett•Randle. The head of Equikrom, played perfectly by Paul Giamatti is trying to find out whatever Burkett•Randle’s secret project is. Tom Wilkinson plays the head of that company. This leads to everyone suspecting everyone else, and trusting no one. The thing is, even our two former spies have their own agenda. All very confusing on the first viewing and almost impossible to explain without giving too much away, it turns into a lot of intelligent, convoluted fun.

The actors are all wonderfully cast in this movie, with all of the well known stars turning in great performances. The music by James Newton Howard is just great and really sets the mood with it’s theme based variations. The story is just complex enough to confuse, yet still able to be followed, (albeit carefully). As this is my second viewing, I was pleased to see that I had just as much fun, (if not more), watching it again, despite already knowing the ending. I would definitely recommend getting this one - it is a lot of fun.

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Duplicity DVD Review By Nicole

***1/2 (out of 4)

Duplicity is a fun and exciting comedy about two ex-spies in a corporate battle over a health care product. Ray, a former MI6 agent, works for Equikrom. Clare, a former CIA agent, works as a double agent for Equikrom, and rival company Burkett-Randle. Their relationship together leads them on a hilarious quest to steal a secret personal care product from Burkett-Randall, and sell it to a Swiss dealer. The movie builds up to an exciting climax, where as the title suggests, things aren’t always what they seem!

I really liked Duplicity. The acting is great, the story is clever and full of surprises, and the score by James Newton Howard is really fun.

The DVD contains a commentary track with director

Duplicity is a fun romantic spy comedy that is worth owning on DVD.

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Duplicity DVD Review By Maureen

*** (out of 4)

Duplicity is a fast-paced, intelligent, very entertaining tale of corporate espionage and “spy vs. spy” romance.

Julia Roberts and Clive Owen are wonderful to watch as corporate spies, Claire and Ray. The energy and quick wit between them is exciting and believable.

Duplicity is the kind of movie where you really need to pay attention if you want to stay on top of who is double crossing whom. It’s hard to describe the plot-line without giving away too much and spoiling the many twists and turns. Suffice to say that this is about a corporate war between two rival companies, Burkett-Randle and Equikrom. The ending of “Duplicity” is really good.

If you like romantic, spy movies “Duplicity” is a fun choice. Renting it would be fine, but owning it means it can be watched more than once. This one’s a classic.

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Duplicity DVD Review By Tony

***1/2 (out of 4)

Known mainly as the screenwriter for the Bourne trilogy, Tony Gilroy wrote and also directed Michael Clayton and Duplicity. Doing research for the Bourne films, he noted how rapidly government agents were being hired away after only a few years of service to feed the growth in industrial espionage. Duplicity treats this subject with a light touch free of the life and death foreboding of Michael Clayton. Ray (Clive Owen) works for Equikrom, which is trying to steal a secret formula from arch-rival Burkett & Randle, in which Claire (Julia Roberts) is an Equikrom mole. They hope to grab it for themselves and retire together.

The film is full of witty dialogue, not only for the principals but also the rest of the strong cast, particularly Tom Wilkinson as the serene B.&R. boss and Paul Giamatti as his sleazy paranoid arch-rival. Excellent camera work with some of the best uses of split-screen since the original Thomas Crown Affair and a brilliant score from James Newton Howard help make Duplicity a joy to watch.

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Consensus: ***1/2 (Out of 4)