Espionage flicks just aren’t what they used to be. In the past anything involving spies was certain to be a hit, at least to some degree. At its zenith this trend expanded beyond the traditional spy thriller to encompass ancillary types of films such as drama, romance and yes, even comedy. One of the fundamental elements back then was the elaborate use of fantastic high tech gadgets that could give the spy on the go a definitive edge as he battles evil. That fell to a growing demand with audiences for realism. The combination of the push for gritty, intense action and the dissolution of the Soviet Union provided the impetus to alter the very fabric of the once supremely popular genre. With the treat of world domination at the hands of the Communist menace all but evaporated there was nothing of similar magnitude to offer a clear and present danger to enthrall the audience. In some cases the authors of spy thrillers responded by setting their stories at the height of the espionage paranoia or utilize the always popular fanatical splinter group still battles for as cause long forgotten. These post Cold War spy flicks try but just cannot hope to match the excitement of the genre’s golden age. One movie that makes such a venture is ‘The Double’. Despite a seasoned and readily recognizable cast their valiant efforts ultimately cannot save the film from mediocrity. I mean some people enjoy plain vanilla ice cream but most prefer something with more flourish. That is how this movie comes across. There is nothing overtly wrong with how it is presented but then again here is nothing to distinguish it either. It can fit the bill as a reasonable popcorn flick for a rainy Saturday afternoon but at one time it could have gone much further to achieve its inherent potential. On a positive note the filmmaker does make an effort to steer the underlying focus of the movie away from the tenants of the traditional spy thriller by infusing it with other common tropes to bolster its effectiveness. While this tactic does offer some degree of remediation it is insufficient to elevate the status of the flick. One such archetype is the perennial favorite, the buddy cop movie that forces the weary senior professional to partner with the still wet behind the ears young hot shot.

CIA agent Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) was retired from the cat and mouse game of international espionage and intrigue until circumstances conspired to pull him back into the life he left behind. A United States Senator is murdered and the evidence points to it being the unmistakable work of one man, Cassisus. This is the code name for the dreaded and dangerous Russian agent and global assassin. A significant portion of Shepherdson’s career was spent tracking down this illusive killer. Since he is officially retired from the agency and a murder of a Senator is exceptionally high profile Shepherdson is strapped with a partner, Ben Geary (Topher Grace) by the FBI Director Roger Bell (Mike Kraft). Thos recent graduate of criminology studies at Harvard is considered the young hotshot over at the FBI. Since the crime was against a member of the government it is considered in the jurisdiction of the Bureau but considering the international espionage factors it was thought that they needed to bring the Agency’s most knowledgeable man on the subject of Cassisus. The juxtaposition of the grizzly veteran and the book smart younger man is the tradition setup required for the cop buddy genre and at this stage inherently borders on the hackney. Shepherdson depends on his twenty plus years of real experience while Geary is still overly reliant on academic understandings. One of the first differences in vantage point the pair encounters rises when Shepherdson has a gut feeling that this is the work of as cleaver copycat.

The film is peppered with attractive actors currently well known in the public eye. In most cases they pop on long enough to justify their names in the credits. Case in point is Stephen Moyer Better known as Vampire Bill on HBO’s ‘True Blood. Here he plays a Russian agent who is too quickly dispatched by Gere. The required feminine beauty quotient is doubly filled by Odette Annable, the recent eye candy doctor of Fox’s "House, M.D.’ and the co-star of ABC’s crime drama, Castle’, Stana Katic. In order to provide a modicum of gravitas to the production Martin Sheen was persuaded to join this cast. This is an assemblage of talent, highly recognizable names designed to ensure a positive cash flow sufficient to keep the studio executives reasonably happy. It also serves to prove that the best thing for any actor is to keep working. It is easy to come back from a poorly received film than obscurity.

Although the cast is a great place to start attempting to construct a taut spy thriller is exceptionally difficult as demonstrated by the current high water mark set by such contemporary post Cold War examples as the Bourne and Bond franchises. Michael Brandt has a few action oriented scripting credits to his name including ‘Wanted’, ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ and the latest incarnation of ‘3:10 to Yuma’, but this is his freshman foray in the director’s seat. As with any genre it takes some time for a filmmaker to establish their style and find their narrative voice. The latter appears to be the issue in this case. He has a firm grip on the action but it is at the expense of telling the story. the overuse of flashbacks is commonplace now but it has the tendency to interrupt the natural flow necessary to hold the film together. This tyupe of film is exceedingly dependent on the details and the story being presented as a cohesive entity. There are Non Sequiturs and loose ends that prevent the audience from making the most out of the story. I am certain that the inherent sbility is threr and with proper cultivation will be considerable.