The Double (2013): ****

Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg) barely exists to his co-workers and his boss Mr Papadopoulos (Wallace Shawn), despite working at the company for over seven years. Simon is constantly apologetic and seems cowered by everyone around him. Whilst Simon harbours a crush on his colleague Hannah (Mia Wasikowska), all his small attempts to start a relationship are thwarted by his own meekness and lack of presence. One day, Mr Papadopoulos introduces a new employee, James Simon, to everyone and to Simon’s horror, James looks exactly like him. However, whilst they both look identical, James is the confident and charming version of Simon. As James gains admiration and a good reputation from his co-workers, Simon seems to be in danger of fading away.

The Double is based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novella of the same name, director Richard Ayoade’s version is bursting with dark wit and a sense of oppressing anxiety. The claustrophobically Kafkaesque world of The Double is brought to life by David Crank’s production design and Andrew Hewitt’s score. Crank fills the office with gigantic clunky machinery, looming over the employees in their cubicle spaces and encroaching on the little bit of weak yellow light they have. Dark concrete apartment buildings and alleyways lined with congregated blue steel create a distinctly utilitarian feel to this world, dankly lit in yellows, browns and the occasional green. Hewitt’s score takes inspiration from the towering technology, combining the agitated violins with the clanking and beeping sounds of the office machinery. Hewitt also enjoys using diegetic sound effects in his music, even when the source of the noise has stopped, creating sense of disjointedness in the scene. 

Richard Ayoade and co-writer Avi Korine successfully capture the slow loss of Simon’s identity and his descent in madness. However, Ayoade is playful in his exploration of his themes, which prevents The Double from becoming completely sombre although no less disturbing. The opening sequence of Simon’s pathetic attempts to get off the train as a pair of workmen block the door introduces the audience to the film’s sense of absurdist humour. Ayoade is fond of using fast sideways tracking shots for building tension and quick edits for comedic effect. The Double does have a slight pacing problem as it starts to drag in the middle of the film, shortly after the introduction of James, and struggles a bit to get back on track. Additionally, some of Hannah’s reactions are a bit too bizarre to believe, particularly concerning some of Simon’s actions involving her. Windows, telescopes and mirrors are central symbolic images in The Double as they intrude and reveal truths that are repellent to our protagonist Simon. 

The Double rests on Jesse Eisenberg’s acting ability to make or break the film, but Eisenberg gives an assuredly first-rate performance as both Simon James and James Simon. As Simon James, Eisenberg is softly stuttering apologies pre-emptively whilst squirming uneasily and glancing downwards. A nice bit of characterization is his uncomfortableness in his suit, it appears to be almost constricting him and Eisenberg always seems to be on the edge of tearing it apart. When playing James Simon, Eisenberg lounges comfortably about the office, openly flirting with the female co-workers whilst smirking at Simon’s increasing agitation. Eisenberg imbues James with a hostility disguised as bluntness in his delivery of his dialogue. Mia Wasikowska is somewhat overshadowed by her co-star, although her character Hannah is more developed than simply being the love interest to Simon. There is a melancholic undercurrent to Hannah, who is also grasping for some meaning in her life, which Wasikowska captures perfectly.

The Double is a tense and darkly witty thriller, a visual treat with a superb performance by Jesse Eisenberg.