Cinema Spotlight: Michael Keaton in "Multiplicity"

Michael Keaton has been having a bit of a renaissance the last few years, with acclaimed work in Birdman, Spotlight, and Spiderman: Homecoming, but he has always been one of our best actors. Never is that more obvious than in his multiple performances in the Harold Ramis comedy Multiplicity. In it, Keaton stars as Doug, an overworked construction foreman who just wants to spend more time with his wife and kids. One day he's working on a laboratory remodel project and the lead scientist pulls him aside to say that he could clone Doug, that clone could take over the work stuff and leave Doug with more time to his family. Of course, Doug obliges and the results come out wonderfully.

Later, Doug finds himself overrun with things to do at home, having no time for himself, and clones himself again so that that Doug (#3) can take care of the home stuff and Doug #1 can have some time to himself for once. It isn't long before the clones decide they want some freedom of their own, and while Doug is away they clone #2, to make Doug #4. The three clones live in the abandoned apartment above Doug's garage and naturally hijinks ensue. Keaton gradually increases the amount of over-the-top he's willing to go to for each character, 2 more than 1, 3 more than 2, and finally the wonderful buffoonery of #4, which is the best thing in the movie. I still sometimes think "I like pizza, I LIKE it!" or "She touched my peppy, Steve." even though it had been many years since I'd seen the movie until recently.

Keaton is brilliant in different ways with each Doug. #1 is just a great smart everyman, something that Keaton is usually too manic to play, but holds the center of this movie so well with this performance. #2 accentuates Doug's masculine side, and so takes to the construction work easily and happily. However, he also becomes lonely, which isn't quite solved by #3 who is an exaggeration of Doug's feminine side, happy to do crafty projects around the house, as well as cooking and cleaning. #4, the most fun of the bunch, is described as like how if you make a copy of a copy of a piece of paper, it isn't quite right. #4 refers to Doug as Steve, and has to have his razors taken away for fear of accidentally hurting himself ("yeah, me and 2 just shave him while he sleeps" 3 says).

The movie isn't as good as Keaton is, the pace is too slow, the hijinks maybe not wacky enough, it doesn't capture the philosophical weight of the situation that it could comment on. The special effects multiplying Keaton are generally very obvious, and honestly the movie is just too long and doesn't seem to have enough on its mind for it to keep our interest. It's no Groundhog Day, I should say, Ramis's high point as a filmmaker, that's for sure. But it's really a great bunch of work from Keaton. It's up there with Beetlejuice as his best work as an actor.

Quick thoughts on Men in Black: International

 
It was good. Not great, not very good, just good. Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth, reteaming after Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, are terrific together, even if the script and direction kind of waste their chemistry (not many two shots just letting them act together and off of each other, the script is very generic and not something worthy of these two together). Hemsworth is breezy, charming, and fun. Thompson believable and winning as the more straight (wo)man kind of role, while not being a stick in the mud or just plugging her into a Tommy Lee Jones kind of role. Good supporting cast, especially Kumail Nanjiani is fun (always been a big fan), Rafe Spall, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, and I always want more Emma Thompson. There's not enough Emma Thompson in the world.

It misses previous series director Barry Sonnenfeld much more than it misses previous stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, surprisingly. I think some directorial flair would've livened the thing up a lot. Thompson, Hemsworth, and Nanjiani are all doing as much as can be done. The humor? There’s some decent humor, and good fun chemistry between the leads that the movie doesn’t take advantage of. I don’t really remember anything that falls flat, humor wise, but nothing that really makes you belly laugh either.

So, great actors doing good work, but generic script and direction. It also just doesn't have the goofy fun of the other movies, especially the first one. It has action and aliens and whatnot, but not given that little tweak that has made the series fun in the past. It also doesn't have the heart that the third movie had. But still, overall I enjoyed myself enough. It's a big Hollywood blockbuster action movie with everything you expect from that. I hope they make another one, because Hemsworth and Thompson deserve a movie worthy of them in this franchise.

It’s more like a pleasant time at the movies. If you just go in expecting to be entertained you’ll be okay, but if you expect something great you’ll be let down.