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The Double

The Double

201393 minRMidcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Director
Richard Ayoade
Starring
Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Yasmin Paige

An awkward office drone becomes increasingly unhinged after a charismatic and confident look-alike takes a job at his workplace and seduces the woman he desires.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Double?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Double streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Double?

The Double earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Double worth watching?

The Double's Midcredits score is the 67th percentile of all films, from 144K ratings across 5 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

67th percentile

Better received than 67% of films

75th percentile among Comedy67th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)70th
Approval (how many liked it)61st

67 /100

70th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Comedy69th percentile among 2010s

Critics 68 · Audience 67

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

56% liked it

61st percentile of all films

68th percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 2010s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 59%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 7 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

95th percentile

144K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$15K
Domestic gross$200K
Worldwide gross$1.7M

49th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film has a distinct, stylish visual identity, but its narrative and emotional coherence divide audiences.

Fans praised

  • striking visual world and production design
  • Eisenberg's dual performance
  • successful blend of dark comedy and suspense

Detractors panned

  • boring and unfunny
  • fails to hold attention
  • confusing story and unfulfilling ending

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

bleak, dystopian world effectively built through production design and lighting

ActingDivisive75

Eisenberg's dual role is praised as outstanding, though some find it artificial at times

CinematographyDivisive75

visually striking with strong shot composition and 80s art direction

OriginalityDivisive50

derivative of Brazil, Fight Club, and Lynch; some see fresh blend, others a copy

Emotional impactDivisive45

fails to capture inner turmoil of protagonist; emotionally distant for many

PacingDivisive45

slow beginning, accelerates when double appears, but often loses momentum

Plot and storyDivisive40

incoherent for some, clever for others; largely seen as underdeveloped

EndingDivisive35

unfulfilling and confusing for most, though some appreciate it after reflection

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 23 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 11 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Double 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
TenseMelancholicAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its Kafkaesque grey world and the nightmare of the double at a darkly comic, knowing distance rather than playing it straight.
The rideA consistently tense and melancholic atmosphere punctuated by absurd moments, building toward a darkly ambiguous climax.
StructureThe story unfolds in a mostly linear order as Simon's life is progressively taken over by his doppelgänger.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayIt leaves an open question about identity and perception running in your head, its bleak surreal imagery lingering uneasily.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

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% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1% (this title)
  • 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. · Inner demon: The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.

21% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeSimon's journey is a struggle against a double who is his confident opposite and gradually steals his life — the monster takes the form of a dark double invading his world.

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 filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • 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%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · 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%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).
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 interrogates who a person is when their identity is stolen and they are made invisible, driven by Simon's fixation on Hannah and his double.
StanceThe film questions identity and individuality without celebrating or condemning, leaving Simon's fate unresolved.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalExperimentalSupportive music · original score · Andrew Hewitt
SettingGrey, bureaucratic London offices and the protagonist's stark apartment block
MusicA brooding, minimal score that reinforces the film's dreamlike and paranoid atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Double okay for kids?

R

The Double is rated R: “Rated R for language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at mild (25/100), language at moderate (60/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (6/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Overall it is heavier than 19% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18A
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland16
  • Denmark15
  • GreeceΚ-15
  • Hungary16
  • Russia12+
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 46% of all filmsHeavier than 19% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 34%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 19%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 36%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 1%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 36% of R-rated films.

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 The Double have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Double?

Cast

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

Jesse Eisenberg
as Simon
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.
Mia Wasikowska
as Hannah
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Wallace Shawn
as Mr Papadopoulos
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Yasmin Paige
as Melanie
Noah Taylor
as Harris
James Fox
as The Colonel
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Cathy Moriarty
as Kiki
Phyllis Somerville
as Simon's Mother
Gabrielle Downey
as Strange Woman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jon Korkes
as Detective
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Double?

Movies like The Double include The Lobster (2015) and Æon Flux (2005), both dystopian films.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Double?

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.