ENEMY (2014) ****

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a dour professor who lives a dreary existence.  One day, someone recommends a movie to him.  He rents it and is disturbed to learn that one of the actors in it looks exactly like him.  Jake does some research and finds out the actor lives nearby.  He begins digging into his double’s life and begins stalking him.  Things take a turn for the worst for Jake once his double learns of his existence.

Director Denis Villeneuve (who directed Prisoners, which also starred Gyllenhaal) works at a slow, methodical pace.  Could this have played out as a short film or as part of a horror anthology?  Absolutely.  (It sort of reminded me of that ‘80s Twilight Zone episode starring Bruce Willis.)  However, you never know where the film is going next, which keeps you riveted for every frame of its ninety-minute running time.  That coupled with Villeneuve’s bleak worldview is enough to qualify it as a modern classic.

Enemy is a great mind fuck movie in the hallowed tradition of The Machinist and Fight Club.  It sucks you in and never lets you go.  Once you think you know where it’s going, Villeneuve dekes and takes off into a different direction.  I loved how he sprung his surprises.  Most directors will telegraph a big plot twist with a big music sting on the soundtrack.  Villeneuve drops them casually in there, as if to say, “… oh by the way everything you thought you knew is wrong”, which is much more trippy.  Not only that, but the way he slowly ratchets up the tension is a thing of beauty.  I think this might be the only time I jumped while watching a film at an automatic door opening unexpectedly.

Gyllenhaal is brilliant.  He gives two almost identical performances, but each one has enough nuance that you always know who is who (even though the characters around him aren’t so sure).  He’s just as good in this as he was in Nightcrawler and the twisty plot is loopy enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Donnie Darko as far as trippy Gyllenhaal movies go.

In short, don’t miss Enemy.  This movie has it all.  That’s not even including all the stuff I can’t talk about because it would spoil the fun.  Just check it out.  You’ll be glad you did.