Dual (2022 | USA | 95 minutes | Riley Stearns)
A deadpan delight with Karen Gillan at her best in a multifaceted performance, Dual is absolutely one of the finest of the fest thus far. There is so much that just works in this aggressive comedy that is unafraid to fully dive into the darkest of places. Aaron Paul compliments every scene in a deadly funny turn, making it one of his best performances in a long while.
A strange tale from the mind of writer-director Riley Stearns, Gillan plays the struggling Sarah. The relationships she has, both with her mother and boyfriend, are strained. She seems to be largely living in isolation without much going for her. To make matters worse, she discovers she has a terminal illness that is almost certainly fatal. With her impending demise approaching, Sarah decides to create a clone of herself who will take on her life. However, when she makes a miraculous recovery, she will then have to duel her double to the death.
What follows is a deliberately paced journey as Sarah trains for her impending deathmatch and takes stock of what she wants to do with her life. The writing and way the dialogue is delivered come into perfect harmony, leaving you in stitches while you also feel an uneasiness with the impending dread approaching you. Gillan is hilarious, giving an understated performance that hits all the comedic and dramatic notes flawlessly. Too often, the performances that get praised for both comedy and drama can be about the loud moments that hit you over the head with what they are trying to do. Gillan sneaks up on you, making you both laugh about the situation while also beginning to care for Sarah.
The rapport she then has with Paul as her combat trainer is emblematic of how perfect it all is, with the two complementing each other at every moment. You completely believe that his hardened and humorous figure has lived in this horrifying world all his life. It is science fiction that feels close to us, the absurdity of our own callousness and cruelty on full display. Of all the films that have been at the festival thus far, Dual is one of the most assured and confident about how to build its world while also never losing sight of the characters at the core of it all.
This also means defying your expectation for what this type of genre film would be. An opening scene is built around the action and excitement of the kill, though the rest of the actual film is much more nuanced. It serves as a playful misdirect with even the casting seeming to be an in-joke about what this type of more standard Hollywood movie would be. Revealing anything more would only ruin the experience of seeing it all unfold before you, but suffice to say you must seek this one out as soon as you are able to. Dual doesn’t hold anything back, punching you in the gut just as you are laughing, leaving you chuckling through the pain.
Dual premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; it has a second festival showing this weekend and is expected to be released later this year.