This weekend, a new action/comedy that actually lives up to the genre’s name will be hitting theaters: Double Take, starring Orlando Jones and Eddie Griffin.
The movie starts out with Daryl Chase (played by Jones), a wealthy banker, telling the doorman of his apartment building that nothing could touch him today. He is promptly mugged and his briefcase is stolen. Freddy Tiffany (Griffin) stops the mugger and Chase gives him a cash reward. Later, however, Chase sees Tiffany talking with the mugger, and realizes he has been set up. His day is sent further down the tubes when one of his clients deposits an unexpected $106 million of shady origins. Later that day when entering his apartment, he and his girlfriend are attacked by a mysterious assailant, and saved in the nick of time by a pair of CIA agents.
The next day, Chase visits his secretary’s home, only to find her dead, and her killer waiting for him. Running for the exit, Chase runs into two police officers, who start firing at the killer. All three are killed, and Chase is the prime suspect. The CIA agents from the night before advise him to escape to Mexico, where they can protect him. But on his way out, he runs into police, and the only person who can save him is Freddy Tiffany, who trades his clothes and persona for Chase’s.
Now Chase has no idea who is on his side. Are the CIA agents really who they say they are? Is Freddy Tiffany really trying to help, or is he a criminal trying to frame Chase for the murder of two cops?
Double Take keeps the suspense going throughout the movie, taking twists and turns. Some of these turns are predictable, but many aren’t. The nature of the ending is left in doubt through most of the movie, and kept me attentive the whole time.
The comedic angle is the main attraction of the movie. Jones and Griffin play off of one another well, keeping the mood as light as the subject matter allows. Part of the humor stems from the distrust Jones has for Griffin and their initial lack of rapport. A couple of the scenes feature the two doing really exaggerated impressions of one another that are pretty funny.
Since I went to see the humor, I was surprised to find that the action end of the action/comedy holds up as well. There are plenty of scenes that could be taken out of a straight action flick, and the two actors prove that they have more than just comedic talent. Jones is very believable with a gun in his hand, especially considering his past roles as the good-natured 7-Up guy and the wide receiver in The Replacements. Griffin is also well-cast.
All in all, Double Take is a movie that’s well worth seeing. It’s funny, suspenseful, and action-packed.
Double Take opens Friday. It is rated PG-13 for violence and language.
