Teaser Debut: The Double

Richard Ayoade’s second film, The Double, gets a trailer, and it looks as far from his debut Submarine as one could possibly get.

Based on a novella by literary grandmaster Dostoevsky, The Double stars Jesse Eisenberg as an awkward young man who works a menial office job.

As he becomes more and more invisible to his family and cohorts, a doppelganger appears and slowly takes over his life.

Ayoade’s debut film Submarine was lovely and sweet but frustratingly derivative.

While The Double ostensibly looks steeped in another set of influences – from Gilliam’s Brazil to Kafka’s The Trial – it’s undeniable he is turning into a singular and fascinating filmmaker.

The trailer is easily one of the best of the year: non-spoilery, evocative and hypnotically rhythmic.

There is no local release date set for The Double at this time.