I shouldn't be surprised; this is hardly the first of the filmmaker's works that I've seen. Yet just as one is somehow astonished again and again with how in large part the oeuvre of Kurosawa Akira is one perfect film after another, I am struck again and again by how Kurosawa Kiyoshi's works mostly share the same traits of a very flat, low-key tone, often wry sensibilities, and a storytelling approach that is oddball and amorphous is not outright vague, or oblique. With this well in mind, what could possibly be more atypical of the man than to switch things up and be decidedly more overt with 'Doppelganger?' It's hardly that his other productions were carbon copies, or conversely that this does not in some fair measure share the same qualities, but the 2003 picture boasts far more liveliness, and occasionally a certain flair in how it is presented, that is uncommon for much of Kurosawa's body of work. Then again, maybe this was exactly the point given the nature of the material herein. And however we wish to judge it next to its brethren, the simple fact of the matter is that 'Doppelganger' is delightful, a smart black comedy that keeps us invested as much to see where things are going to end up as for how entertaining it is.
Increasingly dark as the length advances, the feature is also just unabashedly playful. The intermittent use of split-screen presentation accentuates the disparity between Michio and his double while simultaneously allowing more story to unfold, and even Kurosawa and Onaga Masahiro's editing is merrily sprightly. Hayashi Yusuke's sparing but tasteful and dynamic score deftly complements the mood at any time, varying between light and frivolous, moody and mysterious, and extra dramatic at points - a slightly less overcooked variation on the winking attitude that, say, pairs grandiose classical music with advertisements for cheese crackers. And while the whole cast gives unexpectedly vibrant performances, including Nagasaku Hiromi and Santamaria Yusuke, the title is also nothing if not a chance for Yakusho Koji to let loose. A frequent collaborator with Kurosawa, the dual role here allows Yakusho to show more of his range as Michio and his doppelganger carry themselves very differently, with markedly different personalities. And as the plot carries us from science fiction to offbeat humor to distinctly more grim and violent ideations, from start to finish we're taken on a peculiar, wild ride that's reliably engaging and entrancing.
Incredibly, for as fiercely intelligent and unremittingly abstruse as Kurosawa's movies have often been in their muted plot development, I'm inclined to think that of any of his projects that I've seen to date, 'Doppelganger' might be his most striking and outwardly impressive. He and co-writer Furusawa Takeshi penned a stunningly creative screenplay that shows itself more and more to be much more than first meets the eye as mercurial inventor Michio, married to his work in the worst of ways, finds himself confronted with his living mirror image. Dry, morbid, dashingly black comedy melds with touches of absurdism in building out a tale with a piercing psychological edge and earnest thriller airs as Michio and those around him are wholly transformed by their experiences. The plot takes hard turns I should have (based on the likes of 'Charisma' or 'Serpent's path') yet never would have anticipated (based on the premise, and the likes of 'Barren illusions,' 'Pulse,' or even 'Cure') and is curiously spellbinding in its imaginative, offbeat trajectory. More care went into the characterizations and dialogue than I think is too often true in cinema as they become part and parcel of communicating the narrative which is ultimately all about the character arcs, and the scene writing is nothing if not rich and vivid. With Kurosawa's expert direction achieving the perfect blend of all the many energies on hand, the result is kind of altogether dazzling.
Mizuguchi Noriyuki's warm cinematography offers its own sort of contrast to the tenor of the proceedings while ably visualizing every detail that there is to take in. From production design and art direction to stunts and effects one can readily see all the skill and hard work that went into this flick, and in the writing, direction, and acting alike we're greeted with a quietly thrumming vitality that's invigorating. Where Kurosawa's other pictures tend to be the type that sneak up on us as viewers, it's noteworthy that this one is more plainly upfront, and still it takes the full length for us to see the totality of its brilliance. I assumed from the outset that I'd enjoy 'Doppelganger,' but I'm all so pleased with just how good it actually is - absorbing, funny, thought-provoking, and honestly tantalizing for the story that it gives us, not to mention satisfying and, after its own fashion, rewarding. It's a feature that definitely occupies the stranger side of the medium, but if one is open to all the wide possibilities that cinema has to offer, it would be a sore mistake to pass this up. I, for one, adore Kurosawa's 'Doppelganger,' and I'm happy to give it my very high recommendation.
