Duplicity is a spy-thriller brought to you by the capable Toni Gilroy whose previous film was the immensely entertaining and successful “Michael Clayton”. The plot of the film gravitates around corporate espionage featuring exotic locations such as London, Rome, Dubai, the Bahamas and New York.
The movie features to main characters played by Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. The two agents, Owen belonging to MI6 and Roberts belonging to the CIA meet at the fourth of July celebrations at the American consulate in Dubai. Years later they are out of the government and heading counter-intelligence operations for two massive conglomerates. The movie is entertaining to say the least, hosting a complex plot that revolves around the two organizations trying to find out what the other is doing. Owen and Roberts’ exceptional acting brings out the depth in the characters and watching them exchange comic banter while trying to keep a straight face and read each other’s minds is amusing.
Although the plot is riddled with twists it is comprehensible and simple. The filmmakers make excellent use of flashbacks to convey the essence of spy-thrillers; the plush and exquisite lifestyle where money is not a problem. The movie isn’t as serious as you would expect it to be. The script is full of one-liners exchanged between Roberts and Owen. Duplicity is an entertaining, sexy, romantic comedy coupled with the intrigue of 007-like spy games.