Duplicity

Name: Duplicity
Genre: Thriller, Romance
Released: March 20, 2009
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson

2009

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 122 Ratings

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Duplicity

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 20, 2009 | PG-13

Starring: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson

Summary: CIA officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first. For their employers—industryCIA officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first. For their employers—industry titan Howard Tully and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik— nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they can't cheat their way out of: love. (Universal Pictures)… Expand

Director: Tony Gilroy

Genre(s): Thriller, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Lou Lumenick

Whip-smart, sexy and delightfully twisty romantic thriller. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

A throwback to the days of old-school caper movies like "To Catch a Thief," Duplicity is just the kind of sophisticated amusement you would expect from filmmaker Tony Gilroy. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

The movie is fun, with plenty of intrigue and suspense that will have audiences clutching at their arm rests. Read full review

Michael Sragow

It's an odd duck: a labor-intensive piece of light entertainment. Read full review

Steven Rea

Duplicity zips from one elaborate piece of hugger-mugger to the next. But at a certain point (for me, it was Rome), boredom sets in. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Its ironic complexities tease the brain without pleasing the heart. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

More than confusing. It's opaque. Read full review

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User Reviews

Dominic

Jun 20, 2011

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 ofHow 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 which 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

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CarolynM

Mar 20, 2009

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!

0 of 1 users found this helpful

Spangle

Jan 5, 2017

A stylish, yet flawed, romantic crime comedy, Duplicity is a mixed bag. With compelling twists and a great look at corporate espionage, this film from director Tony Gilroy is bogged down by a nonlinear narrative and a lackluster romance. As a result, the plot becomes hard to follow when theA stylish, yet flawed, romantic crime comedy, Duplicity is a mixed bag. With compelling twists and a great look at corporate espionage, this film from director Tony Gilroy is bogged down by a nonlinear narrative and a lackluster romance. As a result, the plot becomes hard to follow when the film jumps from the past to the present to the past constantly and, towards the end, stops helping you figure out where each scene is taking place. Even worse, these flashbacks are always dry, humorless, and chemistry-less when they put together former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and former CIA agent Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts). Lovers who work for competing companies, the film details the efforts of both sides to outwit the other and beat them in the marketplace. Of course, that is when the couple are not having sex in an exotic location.

For the positives, as a business major, I loved the corporate espionage. Okay, business is really, really boring. However, this film triggered why I am okay with working in this world. The anticipation of new products, studying the competition, and going to war, are all incredibly compelling to watch unfold. Of course, real life pales in comparison and is largely quite dull. Duplicity, however, manages to make a shareholder meeting completely compelling. With the cure for baldness on the way, who will be the first to the marketplace? Only time will find out, but there are moles and spies on both sides that make the battle between former business partners, portrayed by Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti, the highlight of the film. Honestly, Owen and Roberts should be cut out of this film in favor of the more compelling story. Two former business partners going to war with one another over a breakthrough with corporate espionage and a fractured relationship between them. For those that have seen this film, tell me that is not the more compelling tale? Unfortunately, strewn in between these great sections are a lot of romantic moments between spies that merely further complicate the film. Having them repeat lines, jumping back in time to just show them have sex, showing their distrust, and showing some of their planning, Duplicity struggles to bring life to its romantic moments. While its crime elements are top-notch and slick, the romance is lifeless. Owen and Roberts try, but putting two people that audiences find appealing together and hoping it will work is a bad idea. As a result, the romance here is largely unappealing and passionless. While some moments do add to the final reveal, the film could cut out all of the romance scenes, aside from the few where they plot their own espionage, and lose nothing. As for the comedy here, it largely fails and I had to keep reminding myself that it was supposed to be a comedy. With the romance and comedy elements failing, it leaves just the crime portion as being any good. As mentioned, this crime portion does succeed terrifically with a twisty and unpredictable sequence of events. Here, Wilkinson and Giamatti nail their limited roles and demand to be explored deeper. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts also do quite well in the film, even in the romance scenes. However, they both really soar when being calculating and cold spies. In particular, Owen is great using his charisma and slick nature to woo marks and complete tasks. In addition to the fun corporate espionage, watching this duo do their job is worth the watch and thoroughly entertaining.

Stylistically, the film is pretty compelling. It is hard to describe the technique Tony Gilroy uses when flashing back or jumping forward again. It is not a split screen, rather he takes a shot and begins to slowly shrink the frame. Other shots may appear and one will then grow. It is pretty unique and not too bad to look at. Honestly, I am hard pressed to think of a film off the top of my head with a similar technique and I am not sure what it would be called. That said, I just wish it did not signal my least favorite moments were about to happen again or else I would have really loved the technique.

A messy and flawed romantic crime comedy, Duplicity is not really funny or romantic. However, its crime and spy elements are so good, it allows me to look past its flaws to a degree. With great style and the assured hand of Gilroy, Duplicity may be a bit contrived and cliched, but it remains unpredictable through unforeseen twists that show just how dirty this corporate rivalry has become.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TonyH.

May 8, 2009

If ever I've seen a movie that was so completely different than what it seemed in the previews - this was it. I never sensed any chemistry between Clive and Julia although I kept hoping it would show up.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

annbd

Mar 26, 2019

Such an awful film. Also confusing. Probably should watch it again, since I don't really get it, but there was actually nothing to hold on to.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Aaron

Mar 23, 2009

Love Julia Roberts but this movie is boring, goes nowhere and has a dumb ending.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BryanK

Mar 21, 2009

Other than Clive Owen and Julia Roberts having some connection this film is waste of time. It's confusing, theirs no character development, and--- it just sucks. Save your F---ing money in hard times like these!!!!!!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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