Speaking of incomprehensible, France made another movie for US consumption. And if you watch this thing through to the end, you might wish you had consumption. Seriously, Double Lover is a mind screw, not a mind screw on the order of “Wow! You blew me away!” but more on the order of, “Dude! WTF?!” Read until the end and I’ll give you a plan for watching this film that will satisfy both of us, because there was some really good stuff here, just not the feeling you’ll have when the credits roll.
Chloé (Marine Vacth, yes that is the correct spelling) gets stomach aches. Lots of ‘em. Lasting days, weeks, years. The doctor says it’s all in her head, so time to see a head doctor. Psychiatrist Paul Meyer (Jérémie Renier) doesn’t say much in response and quietly enjoys when Chloé talks about her dreams involving him. Before long, he announces she’s cured by stating he’d like to start dating her. I’m pretty sure this is a violation of professional ethics, even in France.
A month later, the two have moved in together and Chloé gets a job as a one of those people who sits in a museum watching other people watch art. I see these docent/security personnel as low-grade performance art, but maybe that’s just me. On the way back home, she sees Paul outside an office near the Eiffel Tower. Paul says it wasn’t him, but it was. Turns out Paul has a twin brother (huh, that never came up?) named Louis who is also a psychiatrist, so Chloé starts seeing him as well on the premise that her stomach aches have returned. Louis is not the silent type; in fact, Louis asks Chloé to strip on her second visit, and then starts attacking her. I’m pretty sure this is a violation of professional ethics, even in France.
Double Lover is fairly racy. Since this film was written by an adult –a misguided adult to be sure, but 
an adult nonetheless– I would call it steamier than each Fifty Shades. Will that matter to you? Will the mystery of the twin brother psychiatrists matter to you? It was intriguing enough that I wanted to find out what was going on. I should have left well enough alone.
Of all the movies I see, I give up on far fewer than 1%, but giving up on Double Lover is exactly what you should do. Just time it, because the film isn’t bad until the ending; it’s just puzzling. However, the ending is so ill-considered, it really did ruin the film for me. I suggest what you do is give the show 95 minutes, then turn it off an make up your own ending. I saw this episode of “Magnum P.I.” once where Sharon Stone played twin sisters. That episode had a twist ending and made so much more sense than this one; I’m good with enjoying sex and intrigue and pretending Double Lover had the same ending. In my mind, I’ve created a recommendable film.
Dating her doc wasn’t planned
And sex with his twin should be banned
And yet, here’s a think
When you go see a shrink
Why shouldn’t your horizons expand?
Rated R, 107 Minutes
Director: François Ozon
Writer: François Ozon
Genre: Incomprehensible thriller
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: If you’re only there for the sex
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Psychologists
