Film Review: The Double (15) (Glasgow Film Festival) (U.K. 2013) (Director: Richard Ayoade) Saturday 22.02.2014, 20:40, Glasgow Film Theatre Screen One, Glasgow & Friday 04.04.2014 , 21:00, The Cameo Cinema, Screen One, Edinburgh & 17.06.2014, 18:15 The Filmhouse Cinema, Screen One

I understand that it is expected that this film will be on General Release sometime in April. 

Some will know that I usually have a fairly disparaging view of film festivals and tend to avoid them on the whole. The reason for this is that you tend to have to pay more for a film, that is exactly the same when it comes to be on general release. I made an exception here with this film, as of all the films I was aware of to be released this year, this is the one I was most excited by. 

This is the second film by Richard Ayoade, the first being the very charming and funny 'Submarine' (2010). The Double is based upon a novella by Fyodor Dostoevsky; this I found to be an intriguing proposition. The setting is kind-of-a 'soviet futuristic 50's style' of perpetual night. The film's central character, Simon James, performed by Jessie Eisenberg, is mild, meek and invisible to others in his work and social worlds. Simon is attracted to his beautiful coworker Hannah, performed by Mia Wasikowska, who he obsesses over, yet she does not realise how important she is to him. One day at work a new coworker arrives called James Simon (also performed by Jessie Eisenberg), Simon's more charming and confident doppelganger and from here on there are duplicitous actions and Simon becomes increasingly marginalised until he is informed he does not exist and never has done. There is more that develops, though I don't wish to spoil too much...

Let's not beat about the proverbial bush, this film is a masterpiece that is perfect on every count. I was first aware of feeling this to be a masterpiece about 15 minutes into the film. The casting is sublime, including small roles for all of the central 'Submarine' cast. The lighting, sound, costumes, shot selections, editing, pacing and attention to details are all faultless. There are moments that are hilariously funny, there is gut-wrenching sadness, ominous threat and tragedy. There are moments of touchingly exquisite beauty both in gesture and image. This is an intelligent film of great depth which has a lovely ambiguous ending allowing you to decide for yourself how it pans out. 

If '12 Years a Slave' had not already been released this year, I would have been saying that I find it hard to see how this can be bettered in 2014. The crucial difference is that although 12 Years... I consider to be a historically important film, I have no desire to see it again, whereas I know I would happily watch this numerous times. Maybe it is just me, though I feel that anyone should be able to appreciate elements about this film. 

In terms of rating I did consider to say that it was too good for rating, though then to consider that the only film to get that so far is 12 Years... and I fundamentally don't think this is as important, so an unquestionable...

Rating: 10/10. 

The Director, Richard Ayoade was present for a Q&A after the film. I was not surprised to find him to be an intelligent, considered, polite and humble man. Here's hoping he keeps up the good work.

+ I have no regrets at my extravagance of nipping through to Glasgow to go and see a film which I could have waited a couple of months to see in Edinburgh.