Review of Daniel Bollag's "Identical" by Stefanos Sitaras
Identical is a movie that will surprise you, on many levels. Every 10 minutes or so, there's a disturbance of some kind, an unexpected event, which thwarts all pre-existing narrative trajectory out of orbit, spiraling viewers into a realm of uncertainty and continuing fascination. It's fresh, artful, complex, dark and twisted, and yet, wholesomely entertaining. Be prepared for an intense experience, with powerhouse performances, intelligent twists and turns, a riveting sense of unease and suspense, with well-rounded character work that gives this whole psychological labyrinth a hue of truth and humanity. It is an independent film that sets example and offers encouragement to all us aspiring indie-filmmakers; no matter the circumstance, the difficulties, or the limitations, with a good enough story, a first-rate cast and a vigorous vision, it's all possible.
Writing this review is doubly beguiling for me, both as a member of the audience and a filmmaker myself. I came out of the theater completely satisfied. "Identical" takes you on a dark and complex ride of identity, betrayal, and sibling rivalry. The premise of the movie sets the tone and intricacy of the narrative by itself: two identical twin brothers fall for the same woman. But of course, it's so, so much more than that. It's a morality tale about identity, obsession, greed, redemption, and reality. Two identical twin brothers are born, and, to keep in touch with the whole mythology of it, one is good and one is evil. The film begins with a gorgeous prologue sequence that sets the film's tone, and the narrative's main conflict. Young actor Aaron Refvem is pitch-perfect in embodying both personalities, making the prologue one of the film's strongest segments. Keep this name in mind, you'll be hearing great things about this kid very very soon, I'm sure of it.
The children grow up to become adult versions of themselves. The dynamic stays the same, and the mythology of the prologue residues on the entire story. The evil brother, Mark, is a ruthless businessman whose world of deceit and corruption is on the brink of collapse, and he will fight for it till the end, exposing the most sinister sides of his personality. Richard is the good brother, who, despite his well-heartiness and benevolence, is a lost soul. He is an artist and a wanderer, a poet and a lover. Truly, no words can adequately praise John Togo's performance as both brothers. He is simply breathtaking in every single frame he's in, and thank God, he's in almost every one. Not only is he wholesomely convincing as both characters, but he goes above and beyond that. He becomes two people so seamlessly that, not for a single moment was there a doubt in my mind as to who I was watching at any given scene. It's an award-worthy tour-DOE- force performance, and Togo becomes a leading man of such cinematic proportion, that he makes the film completely irresistible, despite its psychological labyrinth and attention- demanding plot, one that will challenge you to question reality as you can't take your eyes off screen. Of course, there are many other things besides Togo that you can't take your eyes off.
Chief among them, the beautiful, elegant, and 21-st century femme-fatal Emily Foxler, who is outstanding as Shelly, Mark's secretary, who both brothers inevitably fall in love with. She is entirely lovable from the first scene she's in. In a way, she plays two characters in her own right. With Mark, she is composed, chic, elegant, and serious, all the traits of a secret-affair-secretary who knows her place. Richard, the good twin, is able to charm that facade away, which is incredibly audience-satisfying, because, through identification (no pun intended) we feel like we are flirting our way into her heart and true personality as well. And once that side of her is out in the open, we want to see it again, hence we root for that relationship to continue. She is an incredible actress, in full control of her body-language and facial expression. Watch her eyes as she performs.. Fixed and cold when she is with Mark, playful and full of life when with Richard. Shelly is funny, cute, entirely lovable, and of course, the starting point of a love triangle that propels all characters into a quandary, one which is impossible to speak of without spoiling the movie, so, if you want to know what happens next, you'll have to watch it.
