MULTIPLICITY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.5 Alternative Scale: **1/2 out of ****
United States, 1996 Release date: 7/17/96 (wide) Running Length: 1:55 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Sexual situations) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Michael Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Harris Yulin, Richard Masur, John DeLancie, Eugene Levy Director: Harold Ramis Producers: Trevor Albert and Harold Ramis Screenplay: Mary Hale & Chris Miller and Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel Cinematography: Laszlo Kovacs Music: George Fenton U.S. Distributor: Columbia Pictures
At one time or another, we've probably all wished that there was more than one of us. MULTIPLICITY taps into this universal fantasy, using it as the premise for the latest comedy from director Harold Ramis (GROUNDHOG DAY). The involvement of both Ramis and actress Andie MacDowell may recall the 1993 Bill Murray hit, but there really aren't many other intersections or similarities. MULTIPLICITY is more of a "gimmick" motion picture. While GROUNDHOG DAY was a lighthearted fairy tale, this excursion is more like the Michael Keaton show. It's a straight comedy, a great deal of which is of the physical variety. So, although MULTIPLICITY is funny, it's not as heartwarming or inventive as GROUNDHOG DAY.
I give Michael Keaton the lion's share of the credit for MULTIPLICITY's success. The script may contain the puns, double entendres, slapstick, and other forms of humor, but Keaton delivers them flawlessly, playing four variations of the same everyday sort of character. The visual effects that place two, three, or four Keatons together are seamless, but it's not difficult to imagine the challenge that performing in some of these scenes can present for an actor. After all, it's not easy to play off of empty space. See Eddie Murphy in the recent updating of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR for another example of this sort of multi-character tour de force.
I have never been one to sing Andie MacDowell's praises, and I'm not going to start now. She's had a few solid performances (SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE and UNSTRUNG HEROES spring to mind), but, in general, I find her to be irritating. Nothing in MULTIPLICITY encourages me to change this point-of-view. At best, it could be argued that she does an adequate job, but this is far from a clinic in the art of acting or capturing the audience's sympathy.
I suppose it's necessary to briefly note that MULTIPLICITY is seriously flawed from a technological perspective, but this "unreality" doesn't detract from the film's pure entertainment value. MULTIPLICITY opens by introducing us to Doug Kinney (Keaton), a construction manager for a company whose motto is fast becoming, "If you don't come in on Saturday, don't bother coming in on Sunday." In Doug's words, "Work is first, my family is a close second, and I'm a distant third." He's feeling tired and burnt-out, and, when his wife, Laura (MacDowell), expresses a desire to go back to work, Doug can't figure out how they're going to manage two careers and two children.
Enter the mysterious Dr. Leeds (Harris Yulin), who has the answer to all of Doug's problems: cloning. Soon, there are no less than four Dougs running around. In addition to the original, there's #2, the workaholic; #3, the anal retentive; and #4, an imperfect copy of #2 who is affectionately referred to as "Rain Man." And, even though Doug is becoming very productive, things are getting progressively more confusing with each additional copy.
MULTIPLICITY is an uncomplicated comedy with a lot of big laughs and a disappointingly weak framing story. Do we ever really care about any of the characters or their situations? With the exception of Doug #1, not really. As far as the promise of MULTIPLICITY is concerned, this script gives us a fertile field only half-tilled. There are moments of near-brilliance, but, for the most part, MULTIPLICITY falls into the "above average, but not great" category.
The jokes, which are frequent and frequently successful, make this motion picture worth sitting through, even though, at nearly two hours, it runs on for far too long. For those who are just looking for a movie that scores high on the feel-good comedy scale, MULTIPLICITY is a can't- miss choice. In the end, however, I couldn't help wishing that Ramis had tried for something a little more ambitious, rather than settling for a multiplicity of laughs without much genuine substance.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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