Elliot, a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly. Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire, but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness.
Really sordid stuff that becomes ridiculous, painful, unbelievable and tedious.
– Rita Kempley,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
Cronenberg, who has begun to emerge as a master of body-related horrific fantasy, clearly understands that a small amount of medical mischief can be more unnerving than conventional grisliness.
– Janet Maslin,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
An intense psychological drama which confronts [Cronenberg's] familiar preoccupations -- fear of physical and mental disintegration, mortality, the power struggle between the sexes -- without the paradoxical protection of visceral disgust.
– Nigel Floyd,
Time Out,
26 Jan 2006
rotten:
People like myself who find the character played by [Genevieve] Bujold (in one of her best performances) more interesting than either of the twins are bound to feel rather frustrated by the end.
– Jonathan Rosenbaum,
Chicago Reader,
24 Sep 2007
fresh:
Director David Cronenberg handles his usual fondness for gore in muted style.