The Double

You think your job is bad? That plight might seem tame in comparison to that of the main character in The Double, a low-budget doppelganger thriller that is alternately fascinating and frustrating.

This reworking of a Dostoyevsky novella by British filmmaker Richard Ayoade (Submarine) follows an extremely timid employee at some sort of “computer programming” company in the recent past.

Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) almost fades into the background, except when it comes to the constant scorn of his boss (Wallace Shawn). He blends into the background to the extent that he isn’t recognized by a security guard who makes him sign in each time he enters, and he’s criticized by his overbearing mother (Phyllis Somerville). And although he’s a hopeless romantic, he certainly doesn’t have the right words for alluring co-worker Hannah (Mia Wasikowska).

Then he’s suddenly greeted by James, whose looks are the same as his but whose personality is the exact opposite – assertive, outgoing and impulsive. At first, the bewildered Simon seizes the opportunity to form an uneasy partnership, but James instead has designs on essentially stealing Simon’s life and taking credit in the process.

Thus begins a battle of wits in a screenplay filled with eccentricities and dark comedic touches. The characters and their motives remain aloof (just as the film never identifies with a specific time or place), and the introduction of James is left open to interpretation. It’s not so much that he exists but why he exists, and the film almost toys with its audience in that regard.

Yet there are some rewards for those with patience. Ayoade employs a throwback visual style with abundant influences, and gets solid contributions from an eclectic supporting cast including Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins, Cathy Moriarty, Noah Taylor and Chris O’Dowd.

Eisenberg showcases his versatility in an amusing dual performance filled with existential angst, even if he maintains that same look on his face that seems to accompany every role.

The Double starts as a clever satire of relationships and office politics before taking an inevitable sinister turn, but its clever moments outweigh its contrived ones, twisting into an atmospheric package that’s both subtle and haunting.

Rated R, 93 minutes.