In part nine of our TIFF 2011 preview, Brian McKechnie takes a look at Doppelgänger Paul, Sisters&Brothers, and Romeo Eleven. Check back over the next few days for more previews of films playing at TIFF 2011.
Doppelgänger Paul
Vanguard
Directors: Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand
Doppelgänger Paul is a tale about a guy who believes a random stranger he saw right after a near death experience is his doppelgänger. After stalking the guy for a few months, the two finally meet and strange things begin to happen. In order to sort things out they must venture out on a road trip together. If you can get your head around the wacky storyline, it’s a funny, well written movie with two great performances by actors Tygh Runyan and Brad Dryborough. Highly recommended if you enjoy films by Charlie Kaufman.
Rating: *** (out of 5 stars)
Showing:
September 12 at 9:15 p.m. at the AMC
September 14 at 3 p.m. at the AMC
September 17 at 7 p.m. at the AMC
Sisters&Brother
Contemporary World Cinema
Director: Carl Bessai
Carl Bessai’s Sisters&Brothers follows four sets of siblings as they try to deal with the issues they all have with one another. There are some good moments scattered throughout, but like his previous family-based films Mothers&Daughters and Fathers&Sons, there’s too much happening and nothing to ground the story. In the end I liked it, mainly for a few of the performances, but it’s easily forgettable and not worthy of TIFF.
Rating: ** (out of 5 stars)
Showing:
September 11 at 6 p.m. at the AMC
September 13 at 8:30 p.m. at the AMC
September 17 at 3:30 p.m. at Jackman Hall – AGO
Romeo Eleven * Criticize This! TIFF Pick *
Canada First!
Director: Ivan Grbovic
Set in Montreal’s Lebanese community, Romeo Eleven is a touching story about Rami, a young man with a disability who is not happy with his life. His parents are all over him to go to school and find a girlfriend, and when he does meet someone online (using the name Romeo Eleven), he lies about who is and what he does for a living to impress her. When the two decide to meet the tension builds as you worry Rami will not be accepted for who he is. It’s a great first feature from director Ivan Grbovic that touched me a lot more than I expected.
Rating: **** (out of 5 stars)
Showing:
September 14 at 7:45 p.m. at the Isabel Bader Theatre
September 16 at 2:45 p.m. at the AMC
TIFF 2011 runs from September 8 – 18. For more information, visit tiff.net.
Top image: A scene from Sisters&Brothers. Courtesy TIFF.
