Who payed the critics

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Really one of the very few movies that made me angry and couldnot complete it. i didnot like Saddam or his regime but this is so much exaggerating and i hope that American ppl are smarter to believe this non-sensible events.

Based on an (allegedly) true story, Lee Tamahori's "The Devils Double" is a slick and stylish production, featuring an well crafted dual performance by Dominic Cooper, portraying both Uday: the sociopathic, hedonistic son of Saddam Hussein, and as Latif Yahia: the Iraqi soldier forced to become his body double. The film, however, feels like something of a missed opportunity, and that the end result, whist an entertaining film, is somewhat less than the sum of its parts and feels like merely a good film, rather than the potentially great one it could have been.Cooper's performance as Uday and his titular double is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. As Uday, Cooper allows himself to practically devour the scenery, portraying the dictator's son as a nightmarish cross between Caligula and Tony Montana, raping and murdering with selfish aplomb. Cooper clearly has fun as the monstrous Uday, although according to various sources, the real Uday was far more vicious then Cooper's portrayal. This reflects more on the film's style and direction then Cooper himself, as I felt with a more realistic, grittier take on the material; Cooper's performance could have been as iconic as Pacino's. His second role as Latif: increasingly horrified and disgusted with Uday's excesses, is considerably more understated and at times, can feel a little underdeveloped, compared to Uday's flamboyancy. Ultimately, Latif feels more like a stock character, a mob underling in over his head with a psychotic kingpin, rather than the films emotional core.The cast is rounded out by Ludivine Sagnier as Sarrab, Uday's concubine and later Latif's lover, Raad Rawi as Munem, Uday's stoic and long suffering security chief, Mem Ferda as Kamel Hannah, a "twittering little pimp" who insults Uday and pays dearly for it and musical theatre veteran, Philip Quast, as Saddam Hussein, Iraq's dictator and Uday's disapproving father.Out of the supporting cast, Rawi and Quast, are the standouts, with Rawi's body guard, imbued with quiet dignity and subtle authority, clearly fed up with having to look after his psychotic charge and yet unable to do anything about it. One scene, has Latif and Munem discussing Uday's utter insanity, the subtle look on Rawi's face as Latif tells him that "He's a good man in a bad job" sells his characters frustration without saying anything. Quast's Saddam, despite his brief appearances, radiates authority and his scenes, opposite his arrant son, are filled with a deep sense of tension. Sagnier is, however, the weakest link in the supporting cast, playing a typical femme fatale role as Uday's kept woman. Sagnier gives a rather wooden, dispassionate performance and her chemistry with Cooper is lacking.The films slickness and stylish look both help and hinder the films tone. The visual look of the film is slick and glossy, giving it a gaudy, sensationalised appearance. In a way, this helps the film's narrative, given that the majority of the films scene's happen in the luxurious palaces, homes and nightclubs frequented by Uday and his entourage, places considerably different from where the average Iraqi lived, highlighting the extravagant, hedonistic lives that the ruling family lived. On the downside, the gloss makes the film feel like a generic gangster movie which isn't helped by the other genre trappings (The violent sociopath, the femme fatales, the reluctant henchman) the film displays throughout. I think with a grittier, more realistic take on the story (Perhaps similar to Tamahori's 1994 breakout "Once Were Warriors, depicting violence in the Maori community), the film could have been better, but with the films style clashing slightly with the story, the result is the film feeling rather disjointed.Overall, I would say "The Devils Double", whist far from a great movie, is not by default a bad movie either. Cooper's performance as Uday is enjoyable to watch, in the same way Pacino is "enjoyable" in "Scarface, or Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas". The films garnish visual tone, however cheapens the film into feeling like a generic thriller. Ultimately,it is a disappointment that what could have been a gritty, brutal take on one of the vilest and cruellest figures of Saddam's Iraq, is watered down into an entertaining, albeit somewhat forgettable, gangster film.

This story that was necessary to tell was told well. I remember both Gulf wars. I remember the atrocities told about Saddam's son, Uday Hussein. Seeing them re-enacted is another thing.I didn't recognize Dominic Cooper from the only other vehicle in which I saw him, Fleming. He was superb then. He was better here, playing these two roles.He showed evil when he portrayed Uday Hussein.He showed compassion and turmoil when he portrayed the double, Latif Yahia.I await the coming release (2017?) of the sequel, The Devil's Revenge, again based on a book by Latif Yahia, but this time also co-screenwriter.

Well, I'm astonished!I had wanted to watch this movie since a long time ago, but I only did it today. I couldn't be more satisfied. "The Devil's Double" tells the story of Latif Yahia an Iraqi-born Lieutanent who due to his resemblance with Sadam Hussein's eldest son, Uday, becomes his double (Fiday). I must say that Dominic Cooper has became one of my favourite actors. Since I saw him in "Fleming" I knew he was very talented and since then I started following is career closely. So, I went back to watch this 2011 flick directed by Lee Tamahori - known for directing one of the worst Bond Movies "Die Another Day"(although I rather liked it)- and I must say it is awesome. The movie itself has a 80'S vibe that I loved. It is full of color and sound which makes it much more credible. But what really blew my away was Cooper's performance. He does not only plays Latif in a very credible away but he also steals the movie with his portray of Uday. The two characters are so different that I thought it was impossible to him to do it. But since the beginning I was lead to think that there were two actors on screen and not just one. That, my friend, is the moment when you realise that he just did it superbly. The rest of the cast was unknown to me, but still delivered good performances. I'm just disappointed that the movie only made $1,361,512 on U.S. because it surely deserved a bigger box office. To you, dear reader, I just have to say to watch the movie. It certainly is worthwhile and can give a bit more of insight on the backstage of the Iraqian war.