Dead Ringers - 7

Jeremy Irons plays twin gynecologist in this film by David Cronenberg. Known for his horror films, Cronenberg breaks away from that in this film to focus on the psychology of the twins. Elliot and Beverly Mantle are closer than brothers and they have set up a system of research and practice in their field. In their private lives they sometimes switch places and there experiences become intertwined. The tension rises when they start a relationship with an actress and patient of theirs. While Bev falls for her, Elly is able to remain uninvolved. This shift toward distinct personalities that had been somewhat muted starts to drive each of them in different directions, and they attempt to try to resolve and heal their relationship. The film is much more complex than this, and the reality that the viewer is drawn into is riveting and very well done. This film is a great education into the human pscyhe. It highlights the human condition by looking at how we relate to others and how we perceive those relationships. The story is so unique and intriguing that the time has passed and you are still engaged in the thoughts of the film - I temporarily forgot that I was watching a film. I loved how this story captured my attention (Maybe that is the standard of ranking on this site, I'm not sure, but most films that I have ranked highly have done this). This is one of the best psychological films I have seen, it doesn't need some trick ending to be interesting.