Director Lee Tamahori’s The Devil’s Double, (written by Michael Thomas), is an extraordinary story which paints a semi-fictional story of the psychopathic behavior of Uday Hussein, and if there is grain of truth to the tale: this man would make Jack the Ripper look like a boy scout.
The movie is based on a novel by Latif Yahia who was a war veteran of the Iraqi army and revolves around his actual experiences with Uday. Latif, (Dominic Cooper, who plays both Uday and Latif) is summoned by Uday sometime in the late 1980’s for an assignment: to be his body double. His main responsibility is appearing at public functions where assassins lurk behind shady veils waiting to take pot shots at him. Latif is asked by Uday if he would accept the mission; but if there ever was an “offer you cannot refuse”: This is it! The Iraqi sociopath makes it clear that if he refuses the job offer, he will either be jailed, tortured, or murdered (maybe all three); but if he accepts, he will live in a palace with fine women, designer clothing, and gourmet food. (What is a man to do?) The main drawback for Latif is that his identity will be eliminated and his family will assume he is dead.
Latif soon finds himself wrapped in the lunacy of the pathological lifestyle of a madman. He is given plastic surgery, Uday acting lessons, and a set of Jerry Lewis’ nutty professor teeth in order to fine tune his performance. The itinerary includes accompanying Uday in a virtual world of madness which includes: going to discos filled with beautiful women; trolling the streets for little school girls; and babysitting a constantly drunk, coked-up, raping monster.
Saddam (Phillip Quast) appears occasionally in order to reprimand his Middle Eastern Scarface son, but that is the extent of his visitation.
Actor Dominic Cooper puts on a mesmerizing performance as the manic Uday, and also as the anti-Uday, Latif. The movie is low budget must see DVD.
My rating: 4 of 5 lunatics.