Brightest Young Things

The Devil's Double is a cross between Scarface and The Last King of Scotland, a thriller that mixes fact and fiction to tell the engrossing story of a real-life monster. At its center is Dominic Cooper, an English actor whose dual-role performance deserves to be mentioned alongside similar ones from Nicolas Cage and Jeremy Irons. Director Lee Tamahori’s effort does not match Cooper’s, so the movie drags with superfluous twists and the occasional clunky scene. Still, the exploits of Uday Hussein (son of Saddam) are captivating in a sleazy way, and I found myself entertained by the film’s sheer audacity.

Latif Yahia (Cooper) is a well-educated Iraqi soldier. Before the first Gulf War, Uday Hussein (also Cooper) captures Latif and forces him to be his “double.” When Uday must attend a function or deliver a speech, Latif goes in his place. In exchange for Latif’s service, he receives access to Uday’s clothes, palaces, cars, women, etc. The gorgeous Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier) is Uday’s concubine and prisoner, and she starts fucking Latif as Uday grows more erratic. Already spoiled and dependent on drugs, Uday is prone to psychotic rage. On a whim, he is capable of rape and murder. Escape would mean the death of Latif's family, so he eventually take extreme measures to get loose from Uday’s cruel grasp.

Tamahori takes his time to develop his characters before he fills the screen with over-the-top violence. The first half hour help us notice the differences between Uday and Latif, and Cooper differentiates the characters shrewdly so we always know who we are watching. Cooper plays Uday like a deranged brat with a self-esteem problem. With a raspy voice and dim eyes, Uday does not seem threatening, at least until he disembowels someone. Solemn and square-jawed, Cooper creates sympathy for Latif through intelligence and subtle looks of despair. Tempers flare between Latif and his handler Munem (Raad Rawi), but Cooper is at his strongest when paired with himself.

Latif thinks Uday is truly insane, and Uday is so barbaric that we believe him. Even Tony Montana would think Uday’s transgressions are over the top. In a scene that may spark controversy, Uday ruins a young woman’s life in the most horrific way possible. Later, he waves his gun around and forces strangers to debase themselves for his amusement. Cooper makes no attempt to apologize for his character, and his  acting is the only thing that makes such material tolerable.

The film is a subjective depiction of Latif’s experience. We only see the Gulf War as it relates to his everyday life, and Lamahori wisely keeps history secondary to character development. Saddam (Philip Quast) does, however, make the occasional appearance. His sadism partially explains Uday’s behavior, yet never justifies it. And as The Devil Double reaches its climax, Uday’s profound mental illness takes its toll on Latif and the audience. The final scene builds slowly, and in a reference to Scarface, Latif’s lowered brow exudes menace so we know relief will arrive shortly.

The Devil’s Double is fiction, not a documentary, and the closing credits are coy with the movie’s adherence to the facts. Sarrab, for example, seems like a convenient amalgamation of several characters. Screenwriter Michael Thomas uses the her to add an unnecessary tension between Uday and Latif. By the time we understand where her allegiance lies, Latif already reached a point where he despises Uday beyond reason. Despite such unnecessary layers of betrayal, Cooper’s fearless acting helps The Devil’s Double work as a stylized, eye-popping descent into depravity.

Previously in Another Movie Guy?:

• 9/16: Movie Review: "The Interrupters."
• 9/16: Movie Review: "Straw Dogs."
• 8/31: Movie Review: "The Debt."
• 8/26: Movie Review: "Pianomania."
• 8/26: Movie Review: "Brighton Rock."
• 8/19: Movie Review: "The Names of Love."
• 8/19: Movie Review: "Attack the Block."
• 8/12: Movie Review: "The Guard."
• 8/12: Movie Review: "30 Minutes or Less."
• 8/5: "HE SAID" Movie Review: "The Future."