As I have said already, the film is complex but in a creative way. In the hands of a less savvy writer/director, the complicated plot may have made for one hell of a confusing movie. But Gilroy knows what he's doing with what is, after all, his material, making the a layered plot work fantastically on-screen. It unfolds unconventionally, compared to similar films; just when you think you've figured it all out, the film pulls the rug out from under you and puts you back into a state of trying to keep up with what's going on. Who's working for who? Is she scamming him? Is he scamming her? Or is it not as simple as that? All is revealed by the end in an entirely satisfying way, but not until then, will you be able to figure out the big picture in its entirety.
Roberts and Owen reunite for the first time since their fantastic performances in Closer, where sexual tension and relationship problems were at the forefront of their shared scenes. Here they are given something lighter to work with, and the reason it's fun to watch as an audience member is because you can tell the two, as actors, are having so much fun with the whole thing themselves. The chemistry they had in Closer continues here, solidifying them as an acting team who work well together. They should continue to be entertaining to watch in any future films they do together.
Duplicity is a film very reminiscent of the Ocean's series; smart, fun, entertaining and wholly comprehensible despite the extremely complex and layered plot. And like that series, Duplicity mixes brilliantly sharp dialogue with a guessing-game type storyline, and it does so in an extremely entertaining fashion. Although a little on the long side for this type of thriller, it strangely never feels tiresome or dragged out. This marks the second film directed by Gilroy, and if this and his first, Michael Clayton are anything to go by, he has quite a career ahead of him, combining both his directing and writing efforts.
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