Review: The Double

Our friend Eddie is a man of truly rare talents.  He’s an incredible mimic and voice artist and you won’t find a funnier guy on the planet.  Ed has been making a living doing radio, comedy, acting and related ventures in the US for decades and in recent years the acting gigs have gotten a lot better!  He plays the beauty pageant host in the opening scenes of Drew Barrymore’s 2009 roller derby movie Whip It and now, the pivotal role of Senator Dennis Darden in the Richard Gere-Topher Grace-Martin Sheen thriller The Double which is just out on DVD and On Demand.

The trailer for The Double is incredibly misleading – in a good way!  It appears to give away the entire story but it does not.  The plot concerns the murder of Senator Darden, Soviet spies, a ruthless killer on the loose and the men who have devoted their careers to catching him.  Eddie’s character sets the tone and creates the situation the entire movie centres on.  It’s so much fun to see someone you’ve known for decades in a close-up in a big-budget movie!!

Ed Kelly, auburn haired man wearing a tan blazer and blue shirt

The Double is worth seeing, for sure, even if you don’t know Ed.  The only real problem with the flick is that it doesn’t build tension the way it ought to for the magnitude of what’s to come.  The movie’s big “ta da!” just sort of…happens.  That’s an editing thing and not the fault of the performers who are all excellent. It’s a pretty good flick with some nice action and enough questions hanging in the air that make you curious to see it through.

As for Ed, well, did I mention that he also sings?  Oh yeah and he provides five character voices in the hot-selling animated family movie, The Littlest Angel. You’ve heard him on major advertising campaigns for Lincoln and other products.  We await his next adventure!