Tyler Perry's latest Prime drama "Duplicity" unfolds like a soap opera but lacks any substantial emotional impact. The film takes on a mysterious and somewhat puzzling aura, hinting at a larger conspiracy that never comes to fruition, landing instead as a bland political drama without much substantial commentary.
"Duplicity" centralizes on the life of two successful Black women, lawyer Marley Wells (Kat Graham) and news anchor Fela Blackburn (Meagan Tandy), who are connected by a police killing of Marley's brother and Fela's boyfriend, Rodney (Joshua Adeyeye). Rodney, an unarmed man who was jogging in a wealthy neighborhood, is killed under suspicious circumstances involving a perplexing phone call; yet, no one appears keen on investigating this further.
"Duplicity" unravels much of its narrative attempting to establish justification for Rodney's killing, spinning wheels of circular conversations rather than truly progressing the narrative. The characters themselves become lost in discourses on duplicity and their performance feels more staged for plot movement rather than genuine human connection.
A complex web of characters, including Marley's boyfriend Tony (Tyler Lepley), who acts as a plot bridge due to his background as a P.I. and ex-police officer, remain stagnant rather than intriguing. The climax of the film feels heavy-handed, revealing numerous plot twists in hasty succession, mostly through cliched dialogue.
Most of the actors don't get an opportunity for deep engagement, given the sanitized version of the high-stakes premise of a police shooting. The drama is primarily bland, often keeping the focus away from the depth of grief and complex emotional terrain. The film's aesthetics also fall short, with Perry's frame composition sometimes distracting and filled with digital artifacts.
Described best as unfocused, "Duplicity" fails to add any concrete commentary or insightful discussions around the issues faced by Black America, merely presenting these realities without any significant undertones. The film's main takeaway revolves around rethinking initial responses and stereotypes - a cue that Perry's filmmaking could have perhaps taken.
