For the first time in a while, I made it a point to go see my Editor’s Pick on its opening weekend and it was a great decision. The feeling I had when leaving the theater lingered for a couple of days, but that’s a sign of effectiveness. Behind the humor and a general sense of accepted absurdity, Dual pushes the dark comedy envelope into some very interesting psychological territory that gets a lot more emotional mileage out of the concept than anticipated.
A young, socially awkward woman receives a terminal diagnosis and opts to undergo a cloning procedure called “replacement” where her clone will take over her life once she dies. However, her terminal disease goes into remission, and scrambles to reassume control of her life. The law dictates that she and her clone must duel to the death, on broadcast TV, in one year.
Riley Stearns is quickly becoming one of my favorite young filmmakers because of stuff like this. I was already on board with just the general concept about clones having to fight to the death and he could have easily gotten a strong and effective dark comedy out of that alone, but the narrative is so much more robust than that. More often than not, films about clones use them as specific plot vehicles either to surprise the audience or to perhaps examine the morality of cloning. There are some existential questions about what it means to be alive and, more closely, Stearns’ script also delves into the psychology of co-existing with a clone that has, more or less, replaced you. It also gets into the darkest corners of the idea by examining what it would be like to actually live with killing this other person that is technically you and having to live with those feelings afterward. There’s a lot of emotional complexity to the story that I wasn’t expecting and really appreciated that aspect of it.
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One of my favorite things about this film was how the ending was earned. For that reason, I won’t spoil it. However, I will say that the character writing gets major props for its ability to pull it off. When we are introduced to Sarah, she’s not a very likable character. It’s not that you don’t like her, she’s just sort of there…a bystander in her own life. Her social awkwardness is borderline Aspergers and she doesn’t really seem to care too deeply about her life or anyone in it, and that holds true after we learn she’s dying. It’s through her subsequent un-diagnosis and duel prep that we get to really establish a bond with her. It was a brilliant chess move in the approach to telling the story.
Karen Gillan turns in a pair of great performances as both Sarah and Sarah’s Double. What makes the performance particularly strong is that the differences between the two of them are subtle. Gillan finds the space the characters share and diligently polishes opposite sides of the same coin. In a lot of respects, that’s much harder than playing double roles where each one is drastically different than the other. Her social awkwardness is an excellent breeding ground for Stearns’ brand of humor and that’s probably why we’ve seen that out of his last two lead characters. Gillan should probably be in the best performance conversation even though Michelle Yeoh is going to be very tough to beat. Anyhow, I am happy to watch Gillan’s range continue to evolve.
Part of my curiosity about this film was Aaron Paul stepping into a sizable supporting role. It wasn’t as big as I had imagined, but it was very enjoyable and it allowed him to play with a dark level of humor that we have seen from him in the past. He still plays a pivotal role as Sarah’s equally socially awkward combat trainer, Trent. There are a couple of scenes they share that are hilarious despite the sheer seriousness of the presentation, and that’s because Stearns’s humor is very much dialed in. It’s through their budding friendship that Sarah’s character, her will, is molded and Paul is a lot of fun to watch alongside Gillan during that process.
I enjoy the minimalist approach and the vast majority of the film is shot with much in the way of bells and whistles. Part of that, I’m sure, is the budget restrictions but the stripped-down approach feels more earthy, more tangible, like an acoustic version of a song that you end up liking better than the original because it brings out a quality you didn’t know was there. I always have a soft spot for low-budget/high-concept sci-fi and this was right up my alley. Gritty might not be the right word, but the simplicity made it feel much more real and that’s probably why it stuck with me so long after leaving the theater.
As we sit, this is one of my favorite movies of the year so far. It would be and probably still is in contention for Weirdest Movie of the Year and Most Original Movie of the year, but the bar was set pretty high with Everything Everywhere All At Once. Because of what Dual is and how quickly it went from trailer to release, there’s a good chance that it won’t get a lot of recognition and that’s a shame. It is certainly not for everyone and even I was hit square in the chest by this one, but that’s exactly what I appreciated about it. Not too many films are willing to do that and Stearns deserves credit for that. I won’t let this one get lost in the shuffle.
Recommendation: See it for the boldness of the idea, the surprising depth of the narrative, and Karen Gillan’s excellent performance.
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