Cinema has regularly offered viewers insights into the lives of those individuals who have played a massive part in history. Whether it be world leaders, inspirational figures or simply those with an extraordinary tale to be told, these films are always an intrigue to watch in order to gain a fuller understanding of these people and their circumstances. More recently we have had the lives of J Edgar Hoover and Margaret Thatcher explored but one that was filled with intrigue was The Devil’s Double, concentrating on one of Saddam Hussein’s sons, Uday Hussein and the unfortunate man who came to be his double.
Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper), an Iraqi fighter from a tight-knit family, finds himself in unfamiliar territory when Saddam Hussein’s son Uday (also played by Cooper) calls for him to become his ‘fedai’, his double, his protetction, his new ‘brother’. Attending school together, fellow pupils would always state that Latif had a strong likeness with Uday and this could be utilised to the powerful Hussein’s advantage.
At first Latif refuses the proposal but soon finds that he has no choice in the matter and, after being threatened with the death of his family and tortured, reluctantly agrees to play his part as the double of the powerful figure. In taking on the role he is able to access the lavish lifestyle and surroundings of the Hussein estate and is able to experience the best in fine clothes, beautiful cars and women.
As the First Gulf War begins and slowly escalates so does the radical behaviour of Uday. Power-hungry and taking full advantage of the booze, women and drugs available at his disposal, he begins to know no limits, much to the displeasure of new ‘brother’ Latif. Descending down a path filled with copious amounts of cocaine and sexual relations with under-age girls and transvestites, Uday continues to test the patience of the reluctant Latif and eventually there can be only one to stop this psychotic son of the terrifying leader.
With The Devil’s Double focusing on Saddam Hussein’s son rather than the notorious leader himself, many may dismiss the film as almost unnecessary but in truth director Lee Tamahori paints a picture of the Hussein empire exceptionally, most notably our key focus point, Uday. Providing us with a menacing character in the shadows of the terrifying ruler’s regime, he creates what is a gripping tale of one man’s fall into the power-crazed depths of insanity and another’s desperation to escape the life he has been forced into.
His key ace in the pack is the casting of Dominic Cooper portraying both main protagonists. To say it is tough to carry a film as the lead role is an understatement but tackling two main characters, both polar opposites of each other, is a grand achievement that Cooper pulls off with precision. When tackling Latif, he appears believable as a man in circumstances beyond his control, who is disgusted with the actions of the man he has been forced to work for. And as Uday he clearly revels in the descent into madness, first appearing happy to possess such power and gradually spiralling out of control, with that leaving us an audience to strongly oppose him whilst rooting for Latif to come out unscathed.
The story itself is simplistic, set against the backdrop of the ruling of Saddam Hussein and the raging war that sees the Hussein empire growing more terrifying. It is a refreshing change of direction not to focus on Saddam himself and look behind the scenes, and with two very strong, very different characters it works very well. Mixing the story of the two in with a love interest in the form of Uday’s lover Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier), who winds up falling in love with Latif, and the events unfold impressively. As we delve deeper into the House Of Hussein, the events sink deeper into darkness, filling us with intrigue, and by the final act, the intrigue levels are at their peak for a fantastic finale.
There’s no doubting this is Dominic Cooper’s film. Bringing to screen two fascinating characters and using his brilliant acting abilities to portray very different roles, this is his star turn, one that should be commended greatly. Blend in his superb performances with a slick and absorbing thrill ride of a story and The Devil’s Double is somewhat a surprise of a movie.
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Blu Ray Features / Extras
There are some interesting features on the blu ray which mainly surround the real-life individuals focused on in the movie. ‘True Crime Family‘ is an interesting look into the real life figures and the circle of the Hussein empire whilst ‘The Real Devil’s Double‘ is a fascinating insight into the life of Latif Yahia. Additionally, ‘Double Down With Dominic Cooper‘ takes a look at how Cooper assumed the roles of both main characters, which I particularly found a great insight.
The audio commentary from director Lee Tamahori too is a welcome feature, with him tending to prefer describing the settings and more technical issues in the film.
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