The Identical (FILM REVIEW)
The Identical
Film
Review by Kam Williams
Elvis Impersonator Showcases His Talent in Faith-Based Musical
What if Elvis Presley’s stillborn twin
had survived his mother’s pregnancy rather than passed away during delivery back
in January of 1935? That is the alternate reality contemplated by The
Identical, a faith-based musical marking the underwhelming directorial debut of
Dustin Marcellino.
Unfortunately, Dustin tapped an Elvis impersonator to star in his
revisionist version of events, a dubious decision that comes back to bite him
whenever Blake Rayne isn’t singing and shaking his hips onstage. The first-time
actor plays both Ryan Hemsley and his identical sibling, Drexel (Elvis), in
this fictionalized account of the life of the King of Rock and Roll.
The
speculative endeavor’s point of departure is Decatur, Georgia
during the Depression, which is where we find poverty-stricken sharecroppers Helen
(Amanda Crew) and William Hemsley (Brian Geraghty) fretting about how they’re
going to provide for their twin newborns. The answer to their prayers arrives soon
thereafter, at a revival meeting pitched under a big tent by Reverend Reece Wade
(Ray Liotta), a Pentecostal preacher with a soulful of hope and a barren wife
(Ashley Judd).
The Wades’ desire to start a family conveniently dovetails with the
Hemsleys’ having one more baby than they can reasonably afford. So, with God as
their witness, Reece and Louise agree to adopt Ryan before surreptitiously slipping
out of town and back to Tennessee.
Meanwhile, Helen and William announce the missing boy’s death to friends and
relatives, and stage a faux funeral, complete with an empty casket.
Reece proceeds to raise Ryan in the church with a career in ministry
in mind although, given his great vocal chords, the kid proves more comfortable
in the choir than the pulpit. He finally rebels in his teens entirely by
enlisting in the military, leaving not only his domineering dad but a budding sweetheart
(Erin Cottrell) behind. By contrast, Drexel, who was also blessed with powerful
pipes, is allowed by the Hemsleys to pursue his passion, and naturally blossoms
into the nation’s next singing sensation.
Will the twins ever learn of each other’s existence? If so, will
they be able to forgive their folks for having separated them at birth? And
will Ryan ever enjoy an opportunity to take his own shot at fame and fortune?
These
are the probing questions posed by a production so flawed in terms of plot,
dialogue and performances that it ends up unintentionally funny at practically every
juncture. Regrettably, The Identical flunks the basic plausibility test, whether
in terms of its farcical reimagining of race relations in the Jim Crow South or
its equally-silly staging of sophomoric car chases straight out of The Dukes of
Hazzard.
To paraphrase a Presley classic: Wise men say, only fools rush in
to see a one-trick pony revolving around an annoying Elvis look-a-like.
Fair (1 star)
Rated PG
for smoking and mature themes
Running time: 107
minutes
Distributor: Freestyle
Releasing
No comments:
Post a Comment