From a sheer box office perspective, it has been an unusually terrific summer for documentaries. While docs usually attract a relatively small audience, both Julie Cohen and Betsy West's RBG and Morgan Neville's Won't You Be My Neighbor? proved to be major exceptions to the rule, drawing in viewers with their gentle portraits of modern legends. But if retrospectives on the lives of Fred Rogers and Ruth Bader Ginsburg aren't really your speed, I might just have the movie for you.
It's called Three Identical Strangers, and the poster modestly sells it as "the most amazing, incredible, remarkable true story ever told." They weren't kidding.
To act like this is a discovery on my part is probably disingenuous, since Tim Wardle's film has turned into an arthouse sensation since its June 29 debut. But it's hard not to feel like you've stumbled onto something special while watching Three Identical Strangers, which features as many twists and turns as M. Night Shyamalan's entire filmography. It's a brilliant, breathtaking account of an unbelievable true story, the kind of documentary that subverts and shifts expectations with the slightest of details, eliciting gasps and dumbfounded expressions from the audience. Every scene brings some new surprise- some good, some bad, all shocking. Crafted with precision and meticulous care by Wardle, this is one of the finest films I've seen all year.
Unsurprisingly, Hollywood now wants to turn this into a narrative film. I'd like to see them try to top this.
The story begins in the late 1970s, with Robert Shafran arriving for his first day of college. Like all kids, he was nervous about adapting to his new life. When he arrived, tons of people began greeting him in an unusually friendly way, welcoming him with excited expressions and hugs and even kisses. "Hey, Eddy!" shouted one college kid, which is when Bobby knew something was up. Soon enough, he learned that Eddy Galland was another student at the school- and his identical twin. On a whirlwind summer day, Bobby and Eddy finally reunited after years apart. And then they learned about David Kellman- who also happened to look a lot like them. The triplets were back together in what seemed like a remarkable human interest story. But why were they ever separated in the first place?
For spoiler-phobes, the very plot of Three Identical Strangers will prove to be a minefield. I've given as little information in the above synopsis as humanly possible, even less than the trailer itself. In this case, divulging specifics can enhance a discussion of the film's moral and ethical core, but it can't really add much to an analysis of the documentary's craft. While director Wardle obviously had the advantage of a story that's almost too good to be true, his approach to the material is what elevates this doc to incredible heights.
If you were to read Three Identical Strangers as a long-form article in, say, The New York Times or Rolling Stone, you would likely be enthralled by the madness of the story, gripped and shocked by each new twist and revelation. Beyond seeing the brothers and other important players in interviews, what separates this cinematic take from simply reading an account of the story is Wardle's clever structure, which allows viewers the chance to discover the truth in what feels like real time. Wardle presents lots of seemingly insignificant information, only to loop back around for another stunning reveal or gasp-inducing anecdote. An innocuous bit of trivia may come back as an essential part of the grand scheme, while something presented as a serious plot development could eventually be insignificant. Misdirection is the key to everything here, and it makes the mystery so effective and gripping.
The film's knack for the theatrical can sometimes feel inappropriate in the context of the story, but Wardle has a savvy understanding of dramatic impact and how exactly to utilize every new twist. Each additional chapter in the triplets' horrible story feels deeply nauseating and unsettling, leaving you more sickened than thrilled. Three Identical Strangers presents a harrowing and captivating mystery, but this is not the kind of story that leaves you satisfied or fulfilled in a traditional sense. If your reaction is similar to mine, you'll spend most of the latter half of the film with your hand over your face, watching the story unfold between your fingers. What happened to these men is stomach-churning, and Wardle never presents it as anything less.
I could undoubtedly say more about this terrifying roller-coaster ride, but some movies you just have to experience for yourself. Three Identical Strangers is a fascinating study of the human repercussions of scientific ambition, one that avoids the allure of a happy ending or manufactured optimism. Wardle's film is tough and relentless, delivering twists at such a rapid fire rate that you're sure to find yourself in disbelief.
Essentially, it's a page-turner in cinematic form. Riveting, impeccably made, and often truly petrifying- Three Identical Strangers is everything a great documentary should be.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.2/10)
It's called Three Identical Strangers, and the poster modestly sells it as "the most amazing, incredible, remarkable true story ever told." They weren't kidding.
To act like this is a discovery on my part is probably disingenuous, since Tim Wardle's film has turned into an arthouse sensation since its June 29 debut. But it's hard not to feel like you've stumbled onto something special while watching Three Identical Strangers, which features as many twists and turns as M. Night Shyamalan's entire filmography. It's a brilliant, breathtaking account of an unbelievable true story, the kind of documentary that subverts and shifts expectations with the slightest of details, eliciting gasps and dumbfounded expressions from the audience. Every scene brings some new surprise- some good, some bad, all shocking. Crafted with precision and meticulous care by Wardle, this is one of the finest films I've seen all year.
Unsurprisingly, Hollywood now wants to turn this into a narrative film. I'd like to see them try to top this.
The story begins in the late 1970s, with Robert Shafran arriving for his first day of college. Like all kids, he was nervous about adapting to his new life. When he arrived, tons of people began greeting him in an unusually friendly way, welcoming him with excited expressions and hugs and even kisses. "Hey, Eddy!" shouted one college kid, which is when Bobby knew something was up. Soon enough, he learned that Eddy Galland was another student at the school- and his identical twin. On a whirlwind summer day, Bobby and Eddy finally reunited after years apart. And then they learned about David Kellman- who also happened to look a lot like them. The triplets were back together in what seemed like a remarkable human interest story. But why were they ever separated in the first place?
For spoiler-phobes, the very plot of Three Identical Strangers will prove to be a minefield. I've given as little information in the above synopsis as humanly possible, even less than the trailer itself. In this case, divulging specifics can enhance a discussion of the film's moral and ethical core, but it can't really add much to an analysis of the documentary's craft. While director Wardle obviously had the advantage of a story that's almost too good to be true, his approach to the material is what elevates this doc to incredible heights.
If you were to read Three Identical Strangers as a long-form article in, say, The New York Times or Rolling Stone, you would likely be enthralled by the madness of the story, gripped and shocked by each new twist and revelation. Beyond seeing the brothers and other important players in interviews, what separates this cinematic take from simply reading an account of the story is Wardle's clever structure, which allows viewers the chance to discover the truth in what feels like real time. Wardle presents lots of seemingly insignificant information, only to loop back around for another stunning reveal or gasp-inducing anecdote. An innocuous bit of trivia may come back as an essential part of the grand scheme, while something presented as a serious plot development could eventually be insignificant. Misdirection is the key to everything here, and it makes the mystery so effective and gripping.
The film's knack for the theatrical can sometimes feel inappropriate in the context of the story, but Wardle has a savvy understanding of dramatic impact and how exactly to utilize every new twist. Each additional chapter in the triplets' horrible story feels deeply nauseating and unsettling, leaving you more sickened than thrilled. Three Identical Strangers presents a harrowing and captivating mystery, but this is not the kind of story that leaves you satisfied or fulfilled in a traditional sense. If your reaction is similar to mine, you'll spend most of the latter half of the film with your hand over your face, watching the story unfold between your fingers. What happened to these men is stomach-churning, and Wardle never presents it as anything less.
I could undoubtedly say more about this terrifying roller-coaster ride, but some movies you just have to experience for yourself. Three Identical Strangers is a fascinating study of the human repercussions of scientific ambition, one that avoids the allure of a happy ending or manufactured optimism. Wardle's film is tough and relentless, delivering twists at such a rapid fire rate that you're sure to find yourself in disbelief.
Essentially, it's a page-turner in cinematic form. Riveting, impeccably made, and often truly petrifying- Three Identical Strangers is everything a great documentary should be.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.2/10)
Comments
Post a Comment