Title: The Double

Starring: Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer (‘True Blood’), Martin Sheen and Odette Annable (‘Cloverfield,’ ‘You Again’)

Mystery thrillers are often remembered for their action sequences and suspenseful plot points, but ‘The Double’ surprisingly leaves its mark with complex, diverse main characters. The film, which is the directorial debut of acclaimed screenwriter Michael Brandt, aims to prove that films featuring politics and crimes don’t have to solely focus on continuous anticipation. Unfortunately, Brandt’s admirable attempt to feature both intrigue and multi-dimensional characters failed to live up to his previous films.

‘The Double’ follows the return of retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (played by Richard Gere) to the agency after the mysterious murder of a US senator. The killing bears the trademark of the legendary Soviet assassin Cassius. To catch him, Paul must work with rookie FBI agent Ben Geary (portrayed by Topher Grace), who is so obsessed with the case that he wrote his Master’s thesis on the veteran agent and his tireless pursuit of the killer. However, after spending his entire career trying to catch Cassius, Paul insists that his old nemesis is dead. With Ben’s insistence that the assassin has resurfaced, the two agents reexamine Cassius’ past, and seemingly present, crimes. But Ben ultimately discovers that Cassius isn’t the person he always believed him to be.

The premise of the espionage thriller’s story, which was penned by Brandt and his ‘Wanted’ and ‘3:10 To Yuma’ co-screenwriter Derek Haas, definitely has its merits that differentiate it from similar films in the genre. The two writers were able to create a distinctive plot that didn’t solely focus on showcasing Cassius’ brutal killings; it also details Ben and Paul’s quest to understand the assassin’s mindset, and their determination to catch him before he can kill again. While the two don’t have the same ideas on how to apprehend Cassius, who Paul doesn’t believe is still hurting innocent people but Ben does, Brandt finds the perfect balance between the two agents’ differing working methods.

Ben and Paul’s shared mission to bring down the infamous Cassius also interestingly has different effects on the two characters. Ben still believes in people’s humanity, and has a desire to protect everyone around him, including his wife (played by Odette Annable), their young children and even Paul, from the evil of the world. Paul, meanwhile, doesn’t allow himself to become too close to anyone else, as he easily sees and understands the pain brought on by Cassius and others like him.

While Brandt and Haas were able to create complex, intriguing characters, the action in ‘The Double’ unfortunately doesn’t live up to the visual effects included in ‘Wanted.’ There are several pursuit sequences between Paul, Ben and suspects they believe to be Cassius, including the climatic car chase between Paul and a career criminal, that are obviously unrealistic and contrived. While the audience will surely want the agents to succeed in their pursuits, it seems highly unlikely they would survive some of the stunts included in the film.

Brandt makes a commendable effort with his directorial debut with ‘The Double,’ in the sense that it features complex characters aiming to do what they believe is right. Ben and Paul take completely different approaches in their professional and personal lives, particularly when it comes to tracking Cassius, but both feel confident in their methods. While Brandt deserves credit for creating such diverse characters, the action in the thriller is somewhat disappointing, especially when compared to his previous efforts with Haas. But with more experience, the writer-director will surely obtain a respectable balance between the two.

Technical: C+

Written by: Karen Benardello