by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Have you gotten the pleasure of seeing writer-director Riley Stearns’ The Art of Self-Defense? It is a dry and wry commentary on violence and toxic masculinity. Jesse Eisenberg shines as a fragile man who joins a dojo to become a “real” man with real confidence. Stearns fills the thriller with hard edges, shocking twists, and an unadulterated look at its themes. Guess what? Stearns does it again with his latest offering, Dual, but this time with a science fiction flair. Dual finds a world where people can commission clones if they want to replace themselves. This is surprisingly becoming a common trope and concept in sci-fi (it was done last year with Swan Song starring Mahershala Ali).
But what does Stearns offer to make his version of this world stand out? Well… this film is dry as heck. There is a deadpan effect to every single character, and it really works for some. Some of the cast soars with this expectation (especially Karen Gillan in the lead). This dry wit makes this a real enjoyable dark comedy on top of it already being a sci-fi thriller. This dry effect might be hard for some to get used to (it even took me a bit of time to come around and I have experienced Stearns’ films before), but when it does, it delivers plenty of dark laughs. There is also a great use of subtlety and detail to build suspense. Stearns knows exactly when to drop small, yet effective visual queues, and when to offer up some effective foreshadowing. His general storytelling ability is quite impressive. All the technical aspects of the film are top-notch and crisp which just elevates this film even more.
What about the narrative that Stearns spins around this interesting concept? Gillan’s Sarah is dying of a rare disease and has a fracturing relationship with both her boyfriend and mother. She decides to make the choice of getting a clone. But when this clone connects better with those in her life than she does, Sarah must prepare for the worst… a battle to the death. This crazy concept does wonders for the film, as it builds plenty of emotions for the audience to connect to. There is enough depth thematically to flesh out these bigger ideas and garner sympathy for both Sarah and her clones. What this film does best is to test your expectations, your connections to these characters, and your thoughts on where it will go next. It will tease your brain and manipulate your emotions all the way up until the end. You even have some entertaining training montages along the way to liven things up.
Does this cast make the most of this strange and unique acting style? By far, Gillan steals the show with her dynamic and endlessly entertaining dual performance. She plays two people who are distinctly different personality wise, while also shaking up expectations at every turn. I laughed so hard multiple times at just the pitch-perfect tone and timing of her line deliveries. She knew what Stearns wanted and delivered in each scene. The empathy that she brings to the table makes it easy to swing back and forth between sympathizing for each character. Aaron Paul does not have a big emotional connection in the film, but his position as a combat trainer is ripe for dry laughs. He is certainly entertaining and memorable. The rest of the cast, including Sarah’s boyfriend (Beulah Koale), do their best to bring the most out of their characters.
Is this a dark and wry thriller that is worth your time? First off, Stearns is quickly becoming a director to look out for with Dual and The Art of Self-Defense. He offers up plenty to appreciate and enjoy in this film. Dry wit, shocking moments, and a generally complex emotional tale, this is quite the gem to seek out. If you can get past the dryness and the deadpan approach, this is a must-see flick.
Score: 8/10
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