Review: Enemy

Denis Villeneuve's Enemy is a difficult film. It is difficult on purpose which also makes it a tad bit unlikeable. It is also a film you will think about for days, a film featuring a great lead performance, and a film filled with strikingly odd moments.

Based on The Double by Jose Saramago, Enemy is about a history teacher and a third rate actor. Both parts are played skillfully by Jake Gyllenhaal. Once these two men know that the other exists and is essentially a physical copy of themselves, the film becomes a psychological thriller in the vain of Bergman. Persona comes to mind often while watching Enemy, not just because of the double imagery but also that these two men seem to be two sides of one man.

As the film goes on, the film becomes more work to understand. I am fine with a challenge but Enemy acts like it doesn't want to be figured out. Take the final shot of the film that made several audience members utter "what the..." This moment is meant to baffle not enlighten. We are sent out of the theater to ponder what we saw. For some this will be a deal breaker but for those who like dense films, Enemy was pleasure to decode over a couple of days.

In the end, Enemy is about a man coming to terms with monogamy. It may also be about bigger themes of how men treat women. Gyllenhaal shines in both roles. One wishes Villeneuve would have thrown in a moment or two of levity. This helps make a film like this rewatchable, which is important when its so enigmatic. David Lynch does that and his films are a joy even when they baffle. Enemy doesn't give much reason to want to return to it.