Plot - What's it all about?

or some reason it's always pained me to see "A" list actors in "B" movie roles. Of course this isn't always a bad thing as some gems are out there. I can't really think of any at the moment, but they exist. Such is the case with "The Double" starring Richard Gere and Topher Grace, two stars that have certainly made their mark in films (Gere much more so than Grace), and are somehow thrown together in this little "B" movie. I have no idea as to the life an actor leads, but I'd have to assume the two main stars of this film are financially set for life and that they do movies like this either for the hell of it or they really "believe" in the project. I'm guessing the former. For Gere, I can understand it a bit more. Once an actor reaches a certain age (and as of this writing he's 62) the roles do stop coming in. Let's face it, there are only so many Clint Eastwood's and Morgan Freeman's out there who continue to get roles well into their 70's. But that's all window dressing, let's take a closer look at "The Double" and see if it's worth a look.

Paul Shepardson (Richard Gere) is a retired CIA agent who made his mark with the Russians. Notably the "Cassius" who was believed to have been killed during Shepardson's tenure, has seemingly re-appeared only to claim the life of a Senator. Begrudgingly corralled out of retirement by director Tom Highland (Martin Sheen), Paul is now paired with Harvard graduate and idealistic FBI trainee Ben Geary (Topher Grace). Ben is star struck at first since he wrote his thesis on Paul and the "Cassius" case, but as the two get down to business it's clear to see that they'll eventually lock horns. A twist is revealed very early on that I won't divulge here, but let's just say that it somewhat ruins the movie. The film had some potential and certainly both Gere, Sheen and Grace are capable actors but when the script is this thin - there's not a lot that can be done to save it.

Sound formulaic and predictable? It should, it's something we've seen in movies time and again. As I've mentioned Gere is capable of some riveting performances, but he just seems to mail it in here. Grace does more of the same, but essentially all of the characters are so transparent that we know the outcome about 40 minutes into the movie. Maybe there's a reason that some of these "B" movies don't really ever make it big and that's not to say that these leading men can't and won't make more bombs or have more success. Still, "The Double" is pretty much everything you'd think it would be and a bit more. For fans of TV's "True Blood" Stephen Moyer has a small part as does Odette Yustman (well-known for "Cloverfield", "House, M.D." and "Breaking In"). Personally I'd skip this if at all possible, but if you've nothing else to watch then it's not that bad.

Video - How's it look?

Despite what it lacks in script I will say that "The Double" looks pretty darn good on screen. The 2.40:1 AVC HD image is sharp and crystal clear for the majority of the film. Moyer's character sports a scarred face and the image is so pristine that you can actually tell how fake it is! With the advent of HD cameras, even the most low budget film can look like a major Hollywood production and this is a shining example. There are a few spots in which the image is compromised and is a bit grainy and some of the shots seem to have some contrast issues. Gere's showing his age as his deep forehead wrinkles are more prevalent than ever - still it's a testament to how sharp the image is that we can make out that sort of detail.

Audio - How's it sound?

The DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is par for the course in the Action/Adventure genre. The majority of the action takes place in the third act, as we'd expect, with LFE becoming a bit involved and surrounds adding a bit of atmosphere. Dialogue is clear and lacks any distortion and one thing I will say for Topher Grace is that he's never really hard to understand. The front stage takes the brunt of the action but like the video, the audio is a benefit of technology and certainly not indicative of a "B" movie. It's actually a decent-sounding track.

Supplements - It's all about the extras...

We don't get a whole lot in regards to supplements. There is a feature-length commentary which I didn't make it through (I barely made it through the movie itself, let alone the commentary track). Director and Writer Michael Brandt and co-writer Derek Haas comment on the filming location of D.C. and working with two such "high profile" actors. There's also some interviews and the original theatrical trailer (which gives away the twist, so you've been warned).

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