Double Lover

Françoise Ozon tries too hard to look like De Palma with Cronenberg’s roots (Dead Ringers). This psychologically well-developed love triangle with attractive visuals (the use of mirrors is great) unfortunately changes into a thriller where the conflict between the characters – which is what made the film interesting in the first place – loses all momentum. A weaker French twin overshadowed by the iconic American twin. However, the film does have some attractive erotic scenes. The opening shot of a camera emerging from a vagina is a must see, especially on the big screen. (26/06/2017)

Double Lover tells the story of the psychological roots of the sexual fantasies of a mentally complicated young woman, and it is also a sophisticated tribute to Brian De Palma's Sisters, Cronenberg's Dead Ringers, and Roman Polansky’s Rosemary's Baby, full of references and double meanings. In connection with the motif of twins, Ozon probably also liked to divide images, axially symmetrical shots and especially mirrors, which he inserts into every third shot, in order to draw sufficient attention to the illusory game with the viewer, which he does from the very beginning. He plays on the edge of reality and fantasy, digs into the inner marches in the mind of the main character and pulls props and hasty plot twists from his sleeve, which in some cases can be easily interpreted. However, many require plenty attention and thinking in order to analyze them, whilst others are probably just confusing. As a result, however, Ozone fails in telling the last third of the story, which seems convoluted and chaotic. There is tension in the relationship between the characters and the final point just complicates the psychological level even more. The director managed to improve the B movie theme of the original book thriller with erotic elements to an artistic European psychological drama that looks like Fifty Shades of Grey in a version for demanding and thinking audiences, but even they will still remember one single shot the most – one that is right at the beginning of the film. (11/07/2017)

Double Lover is another one of François Ozon's films that I'm not quite sure how to feel about. The unsettling atmosphere with a hint of mystery and irrationality drew me into the story, but I could certainly have done without the excessive eroticism. The nudity seemed pointless in places, as it didn't move the plot along. And in the end, that twist about the twins was just confusing all over again. It certainly did not lead to a satisfactory resolution. (60%) (24/10/2021)