“Dead Ringers” 2023 movie is a hypnotic, dark, disquieting and delectably modern take on David Cronenberg’s 1988 horror movie about identical twin gynaecologists. While it shares much of the same DNA in terms of the narrative and the strange feeling, this six-part Amazon limited series from screenwriter Alice Birch (Normal People) is so much more than the original movie. Rather it is an assured, more expansive reinterpretation that supplements queasy thrills with timely sociopolitical commentary.
The most significant departure is that the Mantle brothers, Elliot and Beverly, are now the Mantle gynecologist sisters, played by Rachel Weisz (who takes the mantle from Jeremy Irons). If gender-swap reboots can often seem like uninspired gimmicks, here it allows Birch to move past the Mantles’ perverse lust and disgust towards their patients to a more meaningful interrogation of the healthcare model that, according to one of the Drs Mantel, “bullies . . . humiliates . . . and ruins women”.
The Mantle sisters twins might look the same, but their character differs. Beverly is the youngest and shyer twin, while Elliott is the older, more reckless one. The first one wants to accomplish her dreams legally, while the latter isn’t afraid of breaking some rules. Yet, they still do everything together, no matter how different they are.
Living together, cooking together, picking up sexual partners together, you name it, Elliot and Beverly do it. However, it seems that their strong bond is about to be tested enormously. One personal and one professional meeting change their lives forever. First, Elliot “swaps” with Beverly to seduce Genevieve (Britne Oldford), and second, they have to put their morals (temporarily) aside to convince a big pharma company to support them financially. How far will the sisters go to get whatever they want?
If you want to find out the answer to that question, we hope you have enough patience. The first two episodes are very slow burners and laborious, but once the waiting game is over, Dead Ringers becomes an amusing dark series. It might not be as dark as the original film (not grotesque mutilation of medical torturing machines being used), but it still has thrilling and unsettling moments.
Therefore we recommend not putting Dead Ringers on if you’re squeamish about or like to eat and drink while watching this newest Prime Video series. For those who like series with relatable characters, Dead Ringers is an absolute no-go.
The sisters play God and decide they’re better than everyone, both personally and professionally. However, if you can look behind that God complex, you will see some stunning performances.
Jennifer Ehle (“Zero Dark Thirty”, “A Quiet Passion”) is wonderfully cruel as Rebecca, the pharmacy conglomerate who’s clearly out for something. At the same time, Chernus (“Spider-Man: Homecoming, “Little America”) shines as Elliot’s brilliant but sometimes also rude co-worker.
Oldford (“Blindspot”, “The Umbrella Academy”) also gives a terrific performance as the loving and determined Genevieve. While they shine in their way, Weisz (“The Favourite”, Disobedience”) overshadows them with two terrific performances.
As Elliott, she gets the chance to channel anger and evilness, while as Beverly, she gives a more timid but still very effective portrayal of a genius woman. Also, the seamless CGI makes it feel like she’s interacting with herself on screen. That’s when Dead Ringers works the best because when the twins appear together on screen, you get a lot of banter, blood and bonding.
To ensure you know which sister is who, here’s a tip: Elliot wears her hair down while Beverly’s hair is pulled back in a bun or ponytail. Another great aspect of the series is the sense of dread the score creates. Whether it’s building to a climax during a conversation or the overlay music during an operation scene, you know that something unexpectedly dark and threatening is about to happen.
Despite the slow start and messy editing, Dead Ringers is still an unsettlingly dark series about motherhood, the bond between sisters, addiction and personal moral codes. However, most importantly, it’s a tour-de-force from Rachel Weisz.
Dead Ringers is out on Prime Video on the 21st of April 2023.
Trailer:
Sources:
https://www.ft.com/content/a8f06833-acf8-4e90-960b-c313c70b4637
https://ocmoviereviews.medium.com/dead-ringers-2023-2ce6b1b102f2
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