Skip to content
MovieCove
Dual

Dual

The only thing that can stop you is you.

202294 minRMidcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Director
Riley Stearns
Starring
Karen Gillan, Aaron Paul, Beulah Koale, Theo James

A terminally ill woman opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family. When she makes a miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dual?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dual streaming on AMC+ and Sundance Now via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Dual?

Dual earns 4 badges, led by Award Winner and Thought-provoking.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Dual worth watching?

Dual's Midcredits score is the 35th percentile of all films, from 15K ratings across 2 sources. 35% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

35th percentile

Better received than 35% of films

39th percentile among Comedy37th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)41st
Approval (how many liked it)30th

59 /100

41st percentile of all films

46th percentile among Comedy43rd percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

35% liked it

30th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 2020s
35% rated it 7–1065% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 5 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

15K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

Box office

Budget€4.5M

In euro, not converted to dollars.

Opening weekend$118K
Domestic gross$185K
Worldwide gross$426K

35th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize the film's deliberately stiff, monotone delivery and absurdist tone, but disagree on whether that makes it clever satire or just frustratingly dull.

Fans praised

  • Karen Gillan's dual performance with subtle character differences
  • deadpan absurdist humor and dark satire
  • original high-concept premise exploring identity and mortality

Detractors panned

  • wooden, robotic acting drained of personality
  • tedious pacing with no dramatic payoff
  • unengaging storytelling that feels boring and pointless

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive75

fresh concept but execution derivative of Lanthimos; divisive originality

AtmosphereDivisive65

off-kilter dystopian mood is effective; detractors find it tedious

ActingDivisive58

Karen Gillan's dual role praised by fans as nuanced; detractors call performances wooden and emotionless

HumorDivisive55

deadpan absurdity works for fans; most detractors find it unfunny

DialogueDivisive55

deadpan, over-literal dialogue works as black comedy for some, feels lazy for others

CharactersDivisive45

intentionally robotic and distant characters divide opinion on effectiveness

Plot and storyDivisive40

absurd premise seen as clever by fans, nonsensical by detractors

PacingDivisive30

slow, uneventful build with no climax; fans appreciate the deliberate rhythm

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Dual like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It has a few laughs and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseAbsurdDread
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Deadpan · 1% of films: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.Satirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its absurd premise with a completely deadpan, emotionless delivery, treating the bizarre situation with a straight face to heighten the satire.
The rideThe film sustains a tense, uneasy atmosphere with absurdist beats, culminating in the weight of the duel.
StructureThe narrative unfolds chronologically from the terminal diagnosis to the duel, following a conventional beginning-middle-end structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe deadpan satire and ambiguous ending linger, prompting reflection on identity and societal absurdity while leaving a disquieting feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows Sarah forced by law to duel her clone to the death, a struggle against an oppressive system that mandates lethal combat.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalIdentity · 14% of filmsMortality · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a woman forced to fight for her life against her own clone, with questions of selfhood and death underlying the struggle.
StanceThe film questions the meaning of identity and survival in an absurd bureaucratic system, without celebrating or condemning outright.

The world

Near futureInstitutionalUrbanStylized realism
AmbientSupportive music · original score · Emma Ruth Rundle
SettingA near-familiar world where cloning and legal duels are institutionalized.
MusicThe score likely underscores the film's eerie, uneasy tone.

Content guide

Is Dual okay for kids?

R

Dual is rated R: “Rated R for violent content, some sexual content, language and graphic nudity” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (74/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at moderate (51/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 36% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary18
  • LTN-16
  • LV16+
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO18
  • Russia16+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 61% of all filmsHeavier than 36% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 23%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 31%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Dual have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dual?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Karen Gillan
as Sarah
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Aaron Paul
as Trent
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Beulah Koale
as Peter
Theo James
as Robert Michaels
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Maija Paunio
as Sarah's Mother
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rea Lest
as Emergency Room Receptionist
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
June Hyde
as Gastroenterologist
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kristofer Gummerus
as Tom
Elsa Saisio
as Tom's Wife
Amira Khalifa
as The Facility Receptionist
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Dual?

Movies like Dual include The Art of Self-Defense (2019), The Lobster (2015) and Humane (2024). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Riley Stearns, and most are films set in the near future.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: life inside an institution. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Dual?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: rivals. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.