Doppelganger

Michio is an unassuming engineering scientist struggling with his latest project: a robotic chair that would grant the paralysed increased mobility. Though he has made considerable progress with the idea, he is not working fast enough for his bosses, who want it finished ASAP. Highly stressed and on the verge of burnout, he feels as if everything is slipping out of control. Just then, Michio's life takes a drastic turn, as his more assertive doppelganger enters the picture, changing everything irrevocably. Will Michio finish his project, or will his double's machinations ensure his life is nasty, brutish and short?

Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and written alongside Takeshi Furusawa, 'Doppelganger' is an interesting psychological-thriller-cum-black-comedy examining themes of identity, duality and free will. Kurosawa and Furusawa strike a fine balance between the humorous and the suspenseful, switching between the two in unexpected ways, which keeps the audience engaged and entertained throughout.

Using the doppelganger motif to examine what happens when one's identity is challenged by a sinister alter ego- as well as how one's choices affect one's fate- the film plunges some intriguing psychological depths. The narrative also has room to discuss the nature of selfhood, the role of technology in society and the ethical dilemmas of scientific innovation, without coming across as overly intellectual or pretentious.

This is not to say 'Doppelganger' is Kurosawa's finest film, for the narrative is somewhat uneven, and outsiders to his oeuvre may find its singular tone alienating. The last act feels rushed in comparison to the first two, despite arriving at a fantastic conclusion. Furthermore, some may find the black-comedy throughout hard to identify and enjoy, or conversely, may feel the film sacrifices some of its psychological depth for the sake of humour. However, while not as assured as his excellent 'Charisma' or as polished as the sinister 'Cure,' 'Doppelganger' is by no means unsuccessful or without narrative merit.

The cinematography, from Noriyuki Mizuguchi, is one of the true strengths of the film. It is of a minimalist style- reliant on long takes, static shots and natural lighting- which enhances the sense of realism and contrast of the surreal plot. The frequent breaking up of the image into thirds heightens the ambiguity of Michio's relationship with his doppelganger, while the use of mirrors and reflections creates a sense of confusion between the two. Additionally, the utilization of camera angles and movements- such as low-angle shots, tracking shots and zooms- emphasizes the presence and actions of Michio's double, often making him appear dominant and menacing.

The central performance from Koji Yakusho is similarly impressive. Like Jekyll and Hyde, he plays Michio and his double as two sides of the same coin; similar yet distinct. Yakusho portrays the differences between the two characters in subtle ways, including slight changes to his tone of voice, posture and facial expressions. He interacts with himself on screen convincingly, masterfully working with digital composites and body doubles to foster the illusion of two identical men. Yakusho conveys the emotions and motivations of both characters with skill and nuance, be it Michio's fear and confusion, or his double's anger and envy. The rest of the cast perform admirably, especially Hiromi Nagasaku as Yuka, Michio's love interest, and Yusuke Santamaria as Kimishima, Michio's colleague and friend, who provides both comic relief and moral support.

An intriguing and comedic exploration of the duality of man, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Doppelganger' is a must see for fans of the director. Boasting an engaging narrative that examines mature themes with tact- though is never overly intellectualised- and featuring much entertaining black-comedy, it may not be Kurosawa's best film; but it is by no means a bad one. Bolstered by a terrific central performance from Koji Yakusho- and with fine cinematography throughout- 'Doppelganger' gives you a double dose of comedy and thrills that you'd be hard pressed to forget.

i probably shouldn't comment on this, as i turned it off an hour into it. absolutely unwatchable. i loved "cure", kurosawa's previous outing with the great koji yakusho, but this one was a mess through and through. it's like they didn't know what to do with it. the premise, about a man who meets his exact double, is nearly foolproof. there're so many ways to approach it, i really can't believe they couldn't make at least a decent movie out of this. but right from the beginning, the tone is all over the place and the plot just completely meanders. even yakusho's acting is weak (never thought i'd have to write that). not good.

Where to start? "Doppelganger" was truly a struggle to watch. It wasn't without a few moments that did succeed in keeping you glued to the screen but those were very few and to get to them you would have to withstand that urge to stop watching. Truth is I would of stopped it about half way through if it weren't for Hiromi Nagasaku who is quite the looker. To sum up the movie in as few words as possible It was about 40 minutes of blah blah blah followed by 30 minutes of confusion. I watched "Doppelganger" on DVD and both the picture and Audio was very good. Just a shame the movie could never really amount to much. But, did I mention Hiromi Nagasaku is a hottie?

There are some elements of Hitchcock in the film. The set up is annoyingly slow for some people, but it's quite rewarding. The message of the film, is to listen to your own self, not the doppelganger. the doppelganger is within us, not necessarily seen. The point of him seeing is doppelganger, is that his double has the temerity to do the things he (Hayasaki) couldn't do. As he becomes bolder and more amoral he wonders is he becoming the doppelganger? Is Hayashi becoming the worst part of himself? Or perhaps his double is the real suppressed Hayashi? He discovers his ruthless, ambitious, lustful self through his double. It would make an interesting remake with issues of duality and existentialism. If we could have a conversation with ourselves, what would we say? - what would our other self say to us? This would be a fascinating concept that was done in several films - most notably "Jo Jo Dancer, Your life is Calling" - "the ghost of Christmas future showing Jimmy Stewart's future without him and his effect on others. Also "Family Man" with Nicolas Cage explored this theme. DePalma's "Raising Cain" (to a lesser degree) I thought this premise was pretty good - some may think it was a bit underdeveloped, but I liked it.

One of these days, I'll see one of these so-called "horror" films that Kiyoshi Kurosawa directs. This and "Bright Future" are the only two I've seen thus far and both were completely unexpected. Don't let the American box art deceive you: it's not a "frightening" film.

However, it's fantastic. And truly bizarre. Assigning this film a genre is a ridiculous exercise. It shifts seamlessly between moments of high emotional drama, absurdist comedy, and violence.

And underneath it all is an interesting exploration of the concept of self: The reconciliation of who one wants to be, who one is trying to avoid becoming, and who one is. As the credits rolled, I laughed, impressed.

Don't go into the film with expectations. Just try it.