SummarySummoned from the frontline to Saddam Hussein's palace, Iraqi army lieutenant Latif Yahia is thrust into the highest echelons of the "royal family" when he’s ordered to become the ‘fiday’ – or body double – to Saddam's son, the notorious "Black Prince" Uday Hussein, a reckless, sadistic party-boy with a rabid hunger for sex and brutality. With hi... Read More
Directed By:Lee Tamahori
Written By:Michael Thomas, Latif Yahia, Emjay Rechsteiner
The Devil's Double
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
36% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
54% Mixed
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
11% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Jul 27, 2011
83
I'm not sure what it all adds up to, but The Devil's Double puts its hooks in you and keeps them there.
Jul 30, 2011
75
The ending smacks of Hollywood rewriting of history. But The Devil's Double shows the political consequences of Uday's misdeeds, the delicate negotiations that keep the people with grievances in line. And Dominic Cooper delivers a career-making performance.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
68% Positive
58 Ratings
58 Ratings
21% Mixed
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
11% Negative
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
Oct 25, 2011
10
I am a huge IMDb fan, I quite possibly have too much time on my hands! But, ya' know how it goes, you're looking at one movie which brings you to the next, etc. etc. Which is how I found myself here on The Devil's Double page, I haven't seen the movie, just the promo stuff, trailers etc, anything online. What I'm writing about here after reading through all of the reviews is the fact that no matter how many people actually read the reviews and "liked" them, there's always on average 9 who didn't "like" or "find useful". Being a kind of Geek, yeah, I'll admit to it! The laws of probability of that happening naturally are huge! So what I'm saying is that one person or 9 people, came along and decided it didn't matter what anyone wrote about the movie, they just weren't going to "like" or "find it useful"Â
Hey, I respect everyone's right to have an opinion, I'm just expressing mine! Ya'know it's one thing writing a review and stating your reasons for liking or not any movie, but it's kinda cowardly just clicking anonymously don't ya think?? ÂIt's like someone came along and looked at the title poster or looked at the cast names, scrolled down the reviews and just went, nah, don't like you, nah, don't like your name, nah, you're from where? nah, don't like the look of that guy, etc.
Grow up!Â
Oct 21, 2011
10
From America without love. Don't let the title of this review fool you, I have love for the movie The Devil's Double so much love that I had to drive to another city to watch it! My lack of love is for the idiots who were supposedly distributing it! After the big hype, the great poster and advertising why, oh why, did they make it so hard to find in a cinema? I've been following Latif Yahia's story for years and have been waiting and waiting for this movie to be finally made and released and finally when it has, you can't get to watch it?! What's going on? ÂI know that Latif Yahia can be viewed by some people as a controversial figure but if there's a movie made about his life story, it's the "toast" of Sundance and invokes a "bidding war" between two big time distributors you'd think that they would at least release it to enough cinemas that you could easily go at see it! If not then why bother in the first place? Just to piss the other company off?? Come on guys, you're supposed to be the edgy, no fear company, what happened?
Jul 28, 2011
63
This is a breakthrough star performance from a terrific actor getting a chance to let it rip.
Jul 28, 2011
58
Dominic Cooper is electrifying yet stiff in The Devil's Double; he's simultaneously the film's biggest asset and its greatest flaw.
Aug 4, 2011
50
Bring Wet-Naps to The Devil's Double. It's coated and fried in the same batter KFC uses for Extra Crispy chicken. The movie might be greasier, actually.
Jul 28, 2011
40
Despite numerous pluses - Lee Tamahori's vigorous direction, handsome cinematography, outstanding production design, an impressive dual performance by Dominic Cooper as Uday and Latif - the film is more wearying than entertaining.
Jul 27, 2011
25
It's hard to believe that The Devil's Double doesn't intend to be a put-on. Despite a real-life basis of its plot, Lee Tamahori's fierce depiction of hedonistic Saddaam Hussein spawn Uday Hussein relegates the character to a farcical cartoon.
Oct 20, 2011
10
While driving through the city I was slapped in the face by a huge poster **** guy sitting in a throne holding two AK 47s. WOW. If the movie was as good as the poster it was a must see as far as I was concerned. The movie in question was The Devil's double, the story of an Iraqi army lieutenant forced to become the body double or bullet catcher for Saddam Husseins eldest son and heir apparent Uday saddam Hussein. I was hooked! The movie reminds me of Scarface with this sort of golden glow, full of action, anger and atrocity it's definitely a big screen movie and really looks like a Hollywoood blockbuster. Both of the main roles are played by an English actor called Dominic Cooper with French actress Ludivine Sagnier as love interest to both Latif and Uday, notable roles include Philip Quast as Saddam Hussein, Mimoun Oaissa as Ali one of Uday's henchmen, Raad Rawi as Munem Hammed Latif's trainer, Mem Ferda as Saddam's best friend and food taster Kamel Hannah, great work all round and great direction from Lee Tamahori who brings his action background to great force here. It's pretty well rounded, great story even though not historicallyÂaccurate, great acting, directing, cinematography and production design. Where did they find those '80s shiny suits??? I want one!! Oh and a Porsche too!!
Oct 18, 2011
10
The Devil's Double has just opened here in Malta to great acclaim, not only because it was filmed here but because of it's great story and outstanding performances by Dominic Cooper, Philip Quast, french actress Ludivine Sagnier and really the whole cast, everyone really pulls together to make this one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time. Yes, I am a little biased because it was made in Malta but no one could have pulled the Uday/Latif performances off like Dominic Cooper has, that guy is Oscar worthy. I want to pay a special tribute to my fellow countrymen/women who played a part in this movie, well done, I know a lot of people who were extras or worked on hair, make-up, tailoring etc, well done guys everything looks great, but of course it wouldn't be the movie that it is without the direction of the great Mr. Lee Tamahori. Stunning movie, visually beautiful, hard, gripping and somewhat difficult to take at times, The Devils' Double is most definitely worth seeing.
Oct 17, 2011
10
I saw this man, Latif Yahia on the tv's the last show, I thought that it was a facinating story and couldn't beleive what Latif Yahia had gone through as his life as double for Uday Hussein. It is hard to believe that there is so much brutality in this world, I heard that the movie had opened in Belgium and went to see it in my nearest cinema. It was brilliant, I found it moving and soemtimes hard to take. The acting was superb and I also so proud that it was produced by a Belgian company in association with another company from the Netherlands. I have heard rumours that the lead actor Dominic Cooper who played both the parts of Latif Yahia and Uday Hussein may be nominated for an Academy award, that would be amazing! Âgo see it, I don't know how much longer it will be in the cinemas here, catch it while you can.
Dec 24, 2016
6
It was not a stolen identity, but forcibly given. The film was based on the book of the same name that tells the true story of a young Iraqi man Latif, who was forced to body double the Saddam Hussein's playboy son, Uday. This is the reason I was not interested in this. Usually biopics are made to inspire the viewers, but there are negative films as well and this is one of those. Actually, it was not about the Saddam or his politics or his family, except Uday. So it was told from the perspective of Latif. How he suffered and fought back was the film focused on. After watching it so delay, I think I was wrong about it. The film is for adults, but the thing is it reveals lots of dark secrets of Uday's lifestyle. Sadly the film did not cover much of the Saddam Hussein's events. The Kiwi filmmaker did his best. Dominic Cooper's performance in the dual role was the highlight. That should be the reason to watch this, because you know like me, people are turning it away once they read whose story is this. This film is here to remind us the bad history about the bad people, other than that there's nothing in it. 6/10
Feb 19, 2012
4
The filmmaker was clearly confused as to whether he wanted to showcase Uday's brutal way of handling power, or propel a story with the former's support. Photography is great, and so is Domiinic Cooper as Uday. But that's that. I found it difficult to sit through all 108 minutes, and wished the movie ended much sooner. It is boring, disoriented, and lacks direction. An amateurish effort.
Production Company:
- Corsan
- Staccato Films
Release Date:Jul 29, 2011
Duration:1 h 48 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Play the part or suffer the consequences
Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 2 Nominations
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards
• 1 Nomination
Irina Palm d'Or
• 1 Nomination
