MOVIE REVIEW: THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE

IN THEATERS

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE



Dominic Cooper (An Education) headlines director Lee Tamahori's fact-based docudrama centering on the nightmarish experiences of an Iraqi army lieutenant whose life became a living hell after he was hand-selected to be a "fiday" (body double) for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's ruthless son Uday. Baghdad, 1987: Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia (Cooper) becomes privy to the inner workings of the royal family after receiving an offer he can't refuse. Desperate to protect his family and terrified of making any fatal missteps, Latif studies Uday's every personal tick in order to become the spitting image of the so-called "Black Prince." While some Iraqis might have been honored to be presented with such a unique opportunity, Uday's unparalleled sadism and debauched lifestyle quickly began to eat away at the very core of Latif's soul. As war with Kuwait looms on the horizon, Latif finds himself increasingly drawn to Uday's ravishing mistress Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier), a woman with her own terrifying tales to tell about time spent with Iraq's cruelest son. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Lee Tamahori

Cast: Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier, Raad Rawi, Philip Quast, Mimoun Oaissa

Release Date: Jul 29, 2011

Rated R for strong brutal violence and torture, sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and pervasive language

Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

The Devil’s Double is a showcase in a lot of ways but first and foremost it’s about Dominic Cooper. Dominic Copper stars in duel roles, doing excellent work on both and making a complex story into something digestible and enthralling. This is Cooper’s film and it’s the kind of stage that most actors pray for. As Uday, Cooper is unhinged psychotic and incredibly watchable throughout. In this part of the role, he’s a living embodiment of the ID released onto the world. It’s a fascinating performance that’s mirrored, quite literally, by his turn as Latif. Cooper as Latif is somebody else entirely, a calm reserved man who’s simply in a bad situation. Cooper is able to balance both characters deftly throughout, with Uday bordering on caricature occasionally. Ludivine Sagnier is a striking vision but she’s mostly wooden mainly because of a thinly written role. Director Lee Tamahori handles the decadence and opulence involved with a steady hand but he occasionally gets a tad heavy handed. Tamahori only superficially glances over some of the more interesting relationships but never digs deeper. Regardless, this is an actor’s wet dream and Dominic Cooper shines.

B+