If there’s anything that could make Jesse Eisenberg more jittery than the man usually seems, it’s the presence of a menacing dopplegånger that nobody else has seemed to notice. The first teaser trailer for The Double, written and directed by Richard Ayoade (Submarine), doesn’t feature any dialogue, but it’s apparent from the little shown that we’re getting a glimpse at someone’s descent into madness.
The Double, loosely based on a Fyodor Dostoyevsky novella of the same name, follows Simon as he struggles to comprehend the fact that there’s an identical version of himself out there who’s much more outgoing and confident, who’s starting to take over parts of his life. As he walks hard through scene after scene of dramatic lighting to Son House’s “Grinnin’ in Your Face,” it’s clear that his moodiness will likely develop into something more sinister. Check out the trailer for yourself here:
Visually, the trailer is captivating, but I wish it was a little more informative. I understand that this is a Very Serious Movie, but I couldn’t help but laugh when looking at the shot of the identicals standing side by side in their ill-fitting khaki suits; it reminded me of the escalator scene in Rain Man.
I’m also hoping that there is a evil twin-style confrontation where a cop is forced to take down one of the men, but they can’t tell them apart. Which one should they shoot, boss?!
The Double premieres at TIFF on Saturday. Stay tuned for theater release dates.
