Multiplicity (1996) Review: An Overlooked Gem of 90s Comedy - 8/10 In the landscape of 90s comedies, Multiplicity often gets lost in the shuffle, dismissed by some as a high-concept gag that can't sustain a feature film. However, to write it off is to miss one of Michael Keaton's most deceptively brilliant performances and a surprisingly thoughtful, albeit silly, exploration of work-life balance and self-identity.
The Premise: A Solution That Becomes the Problem
Doug Kinney (Keaton) is an overworked construction manager whose life is stretched thin between his demanding job and his responsibilities as a husband and father. His salvation appears in the form of a scientist offering a radical solution: cloning.
Doug eagerly creates a duplicate of himself to share the load, but soon finds that two Dougs aren't enough, leading to three, then four... and the chaos that inevitably follows.
The Triumph: Michael Keaton vs. Michael Keaton
The common criticism is that the film's clone-based humour is repetitive, but this misses the point entirely. The movie's success lives and dies on Michael Keaton's ability to create four distinct, believable, and hilarious characters... and he absolutely nails it.
Doug 1: The original, overwhelmed and increasingly sidelined in his own life.Doug 2: The alpha, task-oriented clone who takes over work with ruthless, corporate efficiency.Doug 3: A sweet-natured, domestic clone who embraces housework and cooking but isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.Doug 4: A hilariously malfunctioning copy-of-a-copy, who speaks in grunts and possesses the intellect of a friendly golden retriever.
Keaton doesn't just change his voice or posture for each; he gives them completely different souls. The scenes where they all interact are a masterclass in comedic timing and physical acting, with seamless (for the time) special effects that still hold up remarkably well.
More Than Just a Gag
Beneath the slapstick and the clone-related mishaps, Multiplicity has a genuine heart. It's a film about a man trying to have it all, only to realise that outsourcing his life means losing touch with what makes it meaningful. The central message—"You spread yourself too thin, you're not really living"—lands with a poignant truth that resonates even more strongly in our modern, over-scheduled world.
The Verdict
8/10 - A Deeply Funny and Surprisingly Smart Comedy
Multiplicity is not a perfect film—the pacing lags in the middle—but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. It's a clever, well-executed, and wonderfully acted comedy that uses its sci-fi premise to explore universally relatable themes. Michael Keaton's performance(s) are worth the price of admission alone, proving his incredible range and comedic genius.
This is a film that deserves a critical reassessment. It's not just a good movie "for what it is"; it's a great movie that accomplished exactly what it set out to do: make us laugh while giving us a little something to think about. A true underrated delight.
