Duplicity
User Score
5.0 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 101
  3. Negative: 38 out of 101

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  1. CarolynM
    Mar 20, 2009
    9
    Twisty, turny, suspenseful, and very funny. Two hours long and never a dull moment. Good performances by everyone, and Paul Giamatti almost steals the show. Highly recommended!
  2. B.Cain
    Mar 22, 2009
    9
    Terrific movie - twists, suspense, romance, comedy. I really enjoyed it.
  3. SelinaM
    May 2, 2009
    9
    This movie was not as hard to follow along as everyone says it was. The ending was spectacular. Absolutely unexpected. Julia Roberts was stunning as always and clive owen was convincing..I took a point off becuase chemisty wasn't all there.
  4. VictoriaS.
    Jan 11, 2010
    9
    I absolutely adored it, so I'm mystified by the ton of negative comments. Sort of an update of Lubitsch's, admittedly far superior, "Trouble In Paradise," it's completely delightful and wonderfully adult. The point off is for the occasional choppiness (I'm an getting so sick of non-sequential narratives) and Julia Roberts' limitations as an actress -- she's wonderful at just looking delighted, but not the world's greatest light comedienne. Still, a sparkling treat.… Expand
  5. Philippe
    Mar 22, 2009
    9
    This movie is a practically perfect upbeat, light comedy. It's not a stroke of genius and it will not be an influence for decades to come, but for what it's worth it's entertainment at its best. And if you pay attention, it's really not that confusing.
  6. TDKinDallas
    Mar 26, 2009
    10
    I thought this movie was great. There was only one scene in the whole movie that I had a problem with and usually I could go on and on about how stupid a movie is. This movie does require a brain to keep up with it so be warned before going in. I was also afraid that this movie was going to stink because they have been showing previews forever so I was very happy that it lived up to the hype: direction, story, the entire cast, etc. Also, I actually would rate it an 8. I rated high because the movie deserves a little help in the ratings here on metacritic.… Expand
  7. HollyW.
    Mar 29, 2009
    9
    I don't know what is wrong with my fellow audience viewers. I loved this movie! The plot is twisty, complicated and challenging, but in a fun way. Owens and Roberts have a nice rhythm to their banter, and their mutual attraction flavored with mutual mistrust makes theirs a complicated dance. We almost didn't see this movie because the trailers were pretty bad--they would lead one to believe there is little chemistry between the leads. But David Denby (New Yorker) has never steered me wrong, so we went to see it. So glad we did. Most enjoyable movie I've seen in a long time. But be sure to pay attention--don't nod off!… Expand
  8. JamesH.
    Mar 29, 2009
    10
    For once, the critics have got it right and the audience has got it wrong. This is a fantastic movie. A complete stunner. It's so beautifully complex and greatly put together and just an all round incredible movie.
  9. Dominic
    Jun 20, 2011
    10
    How is this film so misunderstood? It's brilliant.

    Duplicity is the flip side of writer/director Gilroy's somber Michael Clayton - a charming, adult corporate-espionage comedy that takes place in the high-stakes world of personal hygiene products.

    This is a throwback movie in the style of To Catch a Thief, one that asks you to follow a complex plot without apologizing for it, and one whi    ch had me grinning from ear to ear through its entirety. As convoluted as it is, the plot is really inconsequential, as its stars carry the bulk of the charm this film has to offer. Instead of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly we get Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, and the two stars are a perfect fit together, with an easy chemistry and sparkling sexuality that is really the engine that runs Gilroy's ship. It's a blast to see a real adult movie in this day and age that has two romantic leads past the age of 40. Roberts is still beautiful and sexy, and her age just enhances the natural intelligence she always exuded. This is her best, most fun performance since Erin Brokovich. And as much as I love Daniel Craig in the role, we all know Clive Owen was born to play James Bond. In this film, he's delightfully roguish and sexy, but seemingly always a step or two behind Roberts' character. And George Clooney better look out if he wants to keep the title of "Best-looking Leading Man in a Suit."

    This is the kind of movie that has agents passing secret information back and forth, others trying to lose tails, and even more eavesdropping on private conversations with hi-tech gadgets. Owens and Roberts are never quite sure of one another even while they're falling in love, and the main running joke through the movie is that they don't trust one another at all - and keep testing the other to prove their loyalty - or duplicity.

    It co-stars Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti as the rival CEOs, and features a great two-scene performance by the very likable and funny Carrie Preston as a hapless travel agent who is taken in by Owens' charms. Tony Gilroy has become one of my favorite film makers of the last few years. He was an A-list screenwriter for quite awhile, with credits that include Dolores Claiborne, Armageddon, Proof of Life and the Jason Bourne movies. As a director he's done Michael Clayton and now Duplicity, and is obviously a hell of a talent. Like in his previous film, Gilroy jumps back and forth with the timeline until we're thoroughly, happily confused. And in a film that has double-crosses upon double-crosses, he throws a final triple-cross at us that we certainly do not see coming and throws the genres' conventions for a loop! Duplicity is a great film, period.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 34
  3. Negative: 1 out of 34
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    80
    The movie is fun, with plenty of intrigue and suspense that will have audiences clutching at their arm rests.
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  2. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    90
    Smart, droll and dazzling to look at and listen to, writer-director Tony Gilroy's effervescent, intricately plotted puzzler proves in every way superior to his 2007 success "Michael Clayton."
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  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Angie Errigo
    60
    The chemical combustion just isn't there between Julia and Clive, and you can't help wondering if Gilroy wrote this with George Clooney in mind. Still, a glamorous, diverting escapade that over-30s in particular can enjoy.
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