It goes without saying, but it takes a talented person to pull off any performance convincingly. It takes an even more talented person to pull off two completely different roles in the same movie. With that in mind, and in honor of the release of An American Pickle on HBO Max, we are gonna take a look at and rank The Best Ever Movie Featuring One Actor Playing Multiple Roles. Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
Us is something difficult to talk about as I don’t want to give away the plot too much, It’s just too good. What I can say, thanks to the cover and movie posters you’d likely see on any streaming or Blu-Ray cover is that this film deals with doppelgängers. The acting in Us is phenomenal across the board, the kids are little maniacs in the greatest of ways, and still leave me with a shiver when I really think about it. The most deserving of praise has to go to Lupita Nyong’o who crushes the dual natures of Adelaide Wilson and Red, easily deserving of her Oscar nomination. Jordan Peel seems incapable of making something bad, and Us tells a story that is mysterious and deep in social commentary. Watch this. Then watch it again. Do it! My doppelgänger and I implore you. (Evan Lucken)
Bring out your dead and grab your coconuts ladies and gents, this trip is gonna be a long one that we can’t complete on foot, even if we get permission from the ministry to commute via silly walks. The Flying Circus flew in with this feature film from 1975, and for this film they bring their unique sense of humor to the story of King Arthur and his knights, including Lancelot, Galahad, Bedevire, Robin, and Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Review on a mission from god to find the holy grail. The directorial debut of both Terry Gilliam and the late great Terry Jones, this movie is not only the epitome of Monty Python’s form of absurd comedy and animation with a mix of happy accidents (the iconic coconuts used instead of horses they didn’t have the budget for is the best example), but is also the apex of this week’s challenge as nearly everyone cast in this film plays multiple characters, some of the most iconic of which include Eric Idle as Sir Robin and Roger the Shrubbery, and John Cleese as Tim the Enchanter, the French Taunter, the Black Knight and Lancelot. Like, each member of the troupe plays multiple characters, some in the same scene, and to name all the characters each actor portrays would take paragraphs and paragraphs, and while I would love to go in-depth on each one everyone plays, this would then become-
Get on with it!
Right, sorry Ben.
If you’re a fan of Monty Python, or just want some good laughs, then Monty Python and The Holy Grail is for you. Just be careful if you run into the French……or any particularly vicious rabbits. (Joseph Davis)
Most comic book films are big blockbuster spectacles, but there are a chosen few that take a more nuanced approach. Logan, directed by James Mangold, is a character driven western/drama loosely placed in the X-Men Universe. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Logan A.K.A. Wolverine. From the initial opening scene confrontation, it is easy to see that this is a more mature take on the character. Audiences were treated to the brutality that Wolverine is able to inflict for the first time on the big screen. The film isn’t simply mature due to its violent content, but thematically as well. It’s a tale of mortality and looking back on one’s life. Literally having to destroy your past to protect your future. Logan’s future being the young and feral Laura/X23 (Dafne Keen), who he must assist getting safely across the Canadian border. The reluctant Logan with Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) strike out on what might be the most important mission of their long lives and maybe redeem themselves along the way. Through the time they spend together, Logan and Laura slowly drop down their barriers and Laura ends up embracing Logan as he does her. The biggest obstacle they face is the ferocious and relentless X-24. A younger, more ruthless version of Logan himself, a monster lacking free will and only has murder on his mind. It’s entertaining to see the aging Logan stare directly into the man he once was, a killing machine. Logan must unleash everything that he has left to ensure a future for his daughter. There is seldom a film that can connect to a larger universe and stand all on it’s own like Logan. One of the greatest send-off for any given characters in fiction. (Joe Vargas)
Joseph here crossing yet another movie off the mountain of shame with The Great Dictator, the first Charlie Chaplin film I’ve ever seen (apologies to everyone), his first ever full “talkie” film (along with his credits for actor, director, screenplay writer, and producer), and a film that made fun of and indirectly condemned both Hitler and a Mussolini (widely regarded as a good decision). In this comedy, Chaplin stars as both a Jewish barber and First World War veteran (whom initially suffers from amnesia) and as Phooey Adenoid Hynkel, Dictator of the country of Tomainia where the barber lives whose policies persecute the Jewish people (a clear allegory to Nazi Germany), whom trade places due to a case of mistaken identity as the Phooey plans for war with neighboring Osterlich. While I can understand why this movie was described as controversial when I purchased it (though not quite in the way it was in 1940, and as Chaplin himself put it: had he known of the Holocaust and the treatment of Europe’s Jewish people he could not have made the film), this is a film that shows uniquely how a star of silent films such as Chaplin adapted to movies that relied on spoken dialogue. There are plenty of moments where the scenes play out as one would see in a silent film, to hilarious fashion, while other times you see the coming of age that is modern filmmaking emerge that you see in so many other films of the time, such as Casablanca or Citizen Kane, as Paulette Goddard, Reginald Gardner, and others in the cast bring out great performances as Chaplin finds his footing into the sound film era. It also takes a broad step onto the world stage, as one of the first major American films that outspokenly rebuke countries and the fascist rulers of the countries it parodies, the persecution of Europe’s Jewish population, and provides a stirring speech at the end aimed not only to the crowd in the film but towards a world at war in a message that feels oddly needed in today’s world. With many moments that result in outbursts of laughter and the inclusion of what has become iconic scenes, I cannot recommend this movie enough as both an enjoyable watch and as an insight to the evolution of filmmaking that I plan to revisit again and again.
Also, fun fact: Hitler watched this movie twice, completely alone, and much like The Tramp I’d pay to know his reaction. (Joseph Davis)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the second installment of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings epic trilogy created by J. R. R. Tolkien, and continues the journey that started in The Fellowship of the Ring. A more masterful thing of three storylines at once (Frodo and Sam meeting Gollum, the quest of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to save the people of Rohan, and the journey of Merry and Pippin as they meet Treebeard and the Ents) I challenge you to find. It also marks the return of Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the White, whom after the fight with the Balrog as Gandalf the Grey in the first film becomes more powerful than ever, and allows John Rhys-Davies to flex his acting skills not only as the iconic Gimli but as Treebeard. There is a reason why, despite my opinion that this is the best of the trilogy, that The Lord of the Rings trilogy blows all other series out of the water from start to finish, and it is the casting that occurs in this movie and the greatest action sequences in film, from the assault on Sauroman’s tower to the Battle of Helm’s Deep, that this film is so great, along with the trilogy as a whole, that puts this on a pedestal few can even hope to attain. Never once does this feel as if it drags as there are many superb performances from every actor at every moment, and an attention to detail few movies even try to attain, such as each of the Uruk-Hali’s armor being personalized, as this film becomes the pinnacle of what a film can be. (Joseph Davis)
Two things here are indisputable: 1. Mary Poppins is a classic and 2. Dick Van Dyke is a national treasure.Though his portrayal of Bert has gotten more scrutiny in modern times, six-year-old me wasn’t exactly concerned with what makes a “good Cockney accent.” To be honest, adult me doesn’t care much either. Accent aside, Van Dyke’s Bert is the children’s (and the audience’s) gateway into the magic of the titular nanny. His infectious personality and chemistry with Julie Andrews add so much to the pure enjoyment of the film.
His second character, Mr. Dawes Senior, may not have a ton of screen time, but is involved in a crucial turning point in the movie. Plus, it gave Disney an excuse to have Van Dyke back for the recent sequel in a delightful cameo. (Jake Bourgeois)
What is a way for an actor to really show off their range and acting chops? There is the timeless challenge of taking on multiple characters in the same film. Growing up in the 1990’s, you had comedians like Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers do just that to show off their skills. But long before either of them filled the screen with their own group of quirky characters, there was legendary actor Peter Sellers, Sellers took his opportunity being cast in Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick and absolutely ran with it. You have Captain Mandrake, the British military man who has just too much of that British politeness to slip away from a general on the edge. President Muffley allows Sellers to show his sad and pathetic side as he is continuously pushed around and emasculated. And then there is the big daddy of them all…Dr. Strangelove himself. What a character! Sellers runs with the role to the point I think it has a mind of its own…just like his hand. (Shane Conto)
I remember seeing The Social Network and believed Armie Hammer was a twin until I found out he wasn’t. Was my heart broken? A little, but the man did an amazing job as identical twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. It was always wild to me to see him in the scene with himself. It looked real, believable until you noticed they slapped his face on another man’s body. I think that’s when my heart broke when I noticed he wasn’t a twin. Anyways, the film has other great performances by Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. This film is a great storytelling of the ugly beginning that was Facebook. It’s definitely a favorite and one I know word for word. The Social Network needs to be on everyone’s watch list before they die. (Chantal Ashford)
Are you watching closely? Man, does Christopher Nolan make some great movies! And somewhere near the top of that list has to come The Prestige! Set in the 1800s, two magicians duel both off and on stage in order to perfect the best magic trick ever and will stop at no ends and with no regard to make sure that happens. This movie is an absolute treasure for many reasons. First and foremost, Christopher Nolan does something really special with both the screenplay and direction. This is not a normal story and it is told in a way that really feels like you’re in the moment as a casual spectator. We also can’t not mention the acting. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are our leads, but Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, David Bowie, Scarlet Johannson, and Andy Serkis are all doing some great stuff. For fear of spoilers, I don’t think I can tell you much about this movie. If you haven’t seen this movie, check it out ASAP and it will surely leave you captivated and in awe! (Aaron Schweitzer)
Whether or not you actually like the work of Paul Thomas Anderson, at the very least his movies will always be intriguing and thought-provoking. Personally, I happen to be very into most of his movies, especially There Will Be Blood. In this movie, PTA tackles a subject which is always interesting to see him take on – religion. Church and business come to a crossroads here where neither wants to budge. It reveals something about the core of human nature which is an intriguing idea to dive into. Of course, being a PTA movie, there is so much more to dissect – its other philosophical themes, the direction, and perhaps a career-best performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. It’s a magnetic viewing experience, but in a way that only a collaboration between DDL and PTA could provide. Apparently having three names can get you a long way in the movie industry. (Robert Bouffard)
Honorable Mentions:
The Nutty Professor
In The Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy’s Prof. Sherman Klump is infinitely more likeable than Jerry Lewis’s original scientist from the 60s’ (substitute “being nerdy” with “being fat”), which is what sets this movie apart. Sherman is big, but big-hearted, and the movie does not portray him as some sort of loveable loser. He diets, he fails, he lives life, and it is not until a comedian makes fun of him that Sherman takes drastic, scientific, action. The fact that his love interest, affably played by Jada Pinkett Smith, finds his toned alter-ego Buddy Love deplorable speaks to the mindset of David Sheffield’s script. You need to love and accept yourself before you can find true love and acceptance from others.
The scenes where Murphy plays his entire family are both the funny bone, and the heart, of this movie. You get hints of the humor in the barbershop scenes from Coming to America (also written by Sheffield!), and yet it is Murphy’s turn playing Mama Klump that is superb. Her approach is so full of love and support for her son, that it never fails to bring a lump to my throat. Yes, there are fart jokes in this movie, but this is also a lot of heart as well, and anyone who has ever struggled to fit in should find an enjoyable film here. (Donald Skidmore)
Tron: Legacy
Look, I know pretty much everyone hates this movie. Talk to anyone about Tron: Legacy, and they’ll find something to dislike about it. So, just put that aside for a second. In my eyes, Joseph Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy is an underappreciated film. Instead of asking the viewer to sit down and turn their brains off, Kosinski asks the audiences to turn their brains on for a film about the duty of a creator and his role amongst the created. How does a god return to a place that doesn’t appreciate everything he’s done for them? What happens when you hand that power over?
Furthermore, what would you do for your son? All of this “bio-digital jazz” is answered here, but left open to interpretation. Combine those heady themes with a fantastic Daft Punk score, Jeff Bridges, using every Lebowski trick in the book and a Disney budget, and I believe it’s one of the greatest sci-fi films of the 2010s. If you haven’t seen this by chance, you can stream this with a Disney+ subscription or rent it wherever you like to rent movies from. (Austin Belzer)
The Island
Ok, before you judge let me just throw some words at you. High concept sci-fi, believable characters, exciting action, intriguing conspiracy and great acting. Now, would you believe that all these elements belong in a Michael Bay movie? No? I know it sounds crazy to me too, but, this 2005 sci-fi thriller is the one Bay flick that I can say I enjoy for its quality, and not ironically. This is only emphasised by the fantastic performance delivered by Ewan McGregor (or should I say: double performance). Playing a guy who’s been falling in love with Scarlett Johansson (well duh), while living in a protective facility, his worldview is shattered when he discovers that the world outside has in fact NOT ended, and that he and everyone he knows are just clones of the rich and famous on standby should anything happen to their creators. Now, this movie is not perfect, there’s plenty of over-indulging fast-paced action, and choppy shots; however, the excitement of the story’s mystery makes the whole thing much more forgiving than your average Bay feature. Pair that with a surprisingly star studded cast including the likes of Djimon Honsou, Sean Bean and Steve Buscemi, and you’ve got yourself a couple of hours of pure entertainment. So stop rolling your eyes, and give it a chance – you’ll thank me (on that note, thank you gifts can be sent to REDACTED). (Alice Micheli)
Back to the Future Part II
Back to the Future is my favorite film of all-time. There may be better films, but I could come back and rewatch this over and over again. Its sequels get a little less shine, the second for being darker, the last part being a little goofier. I personally love them all and think that Part II presents an amazingly cool idea of revisiting where they already went to try to stop Biff from altering the space-time continuum and creating the darkest timeline. Back to the Future as a series is no stranger to actors playing their younger or older counterparts, which I think would count for this, but Part 2 goes the extra mile with Michael J Fox and Thomas F. Wilson playing different aged Marty and Biff respectively, as well as relatives. Seeing Michael J Fox in a wig playing Marty’s daughter in 2015 is hilarious. For being the darker film in the franchise, Back to the Future Part II is a lot of fun and is beyond creative with their structure and continuity. Part II plays as a near-perfect sequel that gives so much enjoyment and exploration in Hill Valley. (Evan Lucken)
Dead Ringers
When you need a film to dig deep into your brain and leave you thinking for days and days, who do you turn to? One great answer to that question is director David Cronenberg. Cronenberg has made a career of reaching the most disturbing aspects of humanity and trapping his audiences in them. If you give his psychological thriller, Dead Ringers, a chance, you will surely be seeing double. Jeremy Irons delivers commanding and disturbing performances in the form of twin gynecologists who use their identical looks to take advantage of women. What can be more disturbing than that? But just you wait! What if they get the tables turned on them? Check out Dead Ringers and let the head games begin. (Shane Conto)
Multiplicity
Frank Number Four here. I got a wallet. I don’t even have a car. Multiplicity is a 1996 comedy directed by Harold Ramois, you know the busting ghosts guy. I like pizza. I LIKE IT! This is a great movie. It stars Michael Keaton as an everyday man just trying to make it in life until he finds a science dude to make copies of himself so he can take it easy. I like the movie. Steve likes it too. Batman needs some help so he, so he makes some Xeroxes of himself. So they can do stuff while he does stuff. One truly exceptional thing this film shows is the versatility of Michael Keaton. He is able to play multiple versions of himself, while making each one feel like a character in and of their own. Movie is CLASSIC! I know I’m supposed to write more for Siftpop. Maybe. I don’t remember. Makes me laugh OUT loud and IN LOUD too! This movie makes you feel and want pizza. I want pizza. Go get me some pizza. I can’t have any. I’M GONNA EAT A DOLPHIN! (Frank Kemp)
Also See: Adaptation, Alien: Covenant, Army of Darkness, Austin Powers, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Cloud Atlas, Coming to America, Enemy, Face/Off, Grindhouse, King Kong (05), Last Days in the Desert, Leaves of Grass, Legend, Lost Highway, Mars Attacks, Raiders of the Lost Ark, So I Married an Axe Murderer, The Devil’s Double, The Double, The Man in the Iron Mask, The One, The Parent Trap, Venom