Duplicity (最佳情•敵)

The Captain unusually had a little bit a availability today and was wandering in a shopping mall. Downstairs was a nicely renovated cinema, The Captain went down to have a look at the movie schedule, saw 'Duplicity' featuring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, and he was thinking, 'oh well, since i haven't seen a movie on my own in ages...' Checked the time, good fit of his schedule, then headed to the cashier and bought a ticket.

Summary: 'Duplicity' talks about 2 corporate spies try to set up a con that will ultimately and eventually lead them to enjoyable and luxurious lifestyles, yet are being played instead. The romantic storyline between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen is well planned.

The following is a comment by 'Shek Kei' from Yahoo! Movies (HK).

《最佳情•敵》鬥智奇緣 明報 : 2009-06-11 (星期四) 5:06 AM
【明報專訊】繼《誘心人》之後，茱莉亞羅拔絲再與英國男星佳夫奧雲結上片緣，合演驚險鬥智的愛情喜劇，相當合襯，佈局也奇情有趣，可惜她有點過氣，他有點濕水，未能擦出熱鬧浪漫的火花。

《最佳情•敵》（Duplicity）的編導東尼驕萊，編過賣座片《叛諜追擊》系列，首次執導佐治古尼主演的奇情片《敵對同謀》，描述倒霉律師與工商業大集團鬥法，橋段與手法都不俗，甚獲好評。現在新作拍攝工商業間諜，十分「扭計」，還增添愛情妙趣，然而成績不及前作。

其實故事構思好玩，美國CIA女特工與英國M16男間諜，結上男歡女愛而又爾虞我詐的奇緣。幾年後這對冤家狹路相逢，都已轉行投入商營機構，變為工業間諜和商界臥底，一起捲入兩大公司陰謀鬥法。男女主角究竟是情人拍檔，還是各懷鬼胎的敵手呢？劇情就由頭至尾扭來扭去。

此片妙在拍間諜而脫離了政府，玩臥底而超出黑白道，事實上商場如敵國，情場如戰場，往往比官方和黑幫更競爭激烈。這次商戰加情戰，就很曲折蠱惑。

至於男女主角有驚有喜的情緣，則令人想起荷李活盛行「幼兒化」「魔幻化」之前的成年人奇趣舊片，例如柯德莉夏萍與加利格蘭合演的《花都奇遇結良緣》（Charade），以及她和彼德奧圖合演的《偷龍轉鳳》（How to Steal a Million）。

九十年代大紅的《風月俏佳人》茱莉亞羅拔絲，近年失色了，今次有演技有台型，但明星魅力就不及當年柯德莉夏萍。女星始終比男星受年齡影響，中年後仍然星光輝煌的很少。佳夫奧雲保持風流瀟灑，只是他一向性格不強，火力不猛。

片中鬥智鬥法也比較誇張，如果像高安兄弟拍《CIA光碟離奇失竊案》那樣漫畫化搞笑，可能過癮。現在導演處理通俗喜劇還未熟練，又經常賣弄幾年前、幾月前的時空交錯，複雜鬆散了，不夠緊湊爽快。

雖然不滿意，《最佳情•敵》也有不少妙處，肯定不會陳套和弱智。

石琪

5,671 IMDb users have given a weighted average vote of 6.7/10 as the rating for 'Duplicity'. And i would rate it at 7/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135487/

The director of this film, Tony Gilroy, has a tremendous background of writting and directing cops-crime, investigation and adventure thrillers such as State of Play (by Russell Crowe, one of the most-wanted-to-see films that i have not seen), Michael Clayton, The Bourne Trilogy and Bait.

Veteran actor Denis O'Hare's versatality of acting has definitely added some extra colors to this film.

There was one scene that had 4 squares showing different places with Julia Roberts's face on the right hand side of one square (she was pissed off after an interrogation with the female staff of B & R Travel), and there was another square showing a metal/bronze lion in London on the right hand side of the square. I guess the director tried to put these 2 pictures together and to show 'at that very moment, Julia was like a lion, she could eat anyone off when she is angry'. It was a very good scene.

I give this film a 7 out of 10 because it is not a new idea, kind of reminds me of 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'. But i need to give some props to the film music composer - James Newton Howard. I really enjoyed the music in Duplicity, put in at the right time and the best time, very fitting and classical, which match the themes very well.

I just did a little research on him and geez, he has done loads of great jobs of composing for Awards-winning movies such as The Dark Knight, I Am Legend and Blood Diamond.

Let me know what you think of the movie.