BDirected by Tim Wardle Review by Jon Kissel |  |
Some stories are so gripping and dramatic that a newly-graduated film student could capably shape them into a watchable documentary. Three Identical Strangers is one of these stories. Directed by Tim Wardle, this retelling of an 80’s afternoon talk show staple is fascinating enough on its surface. The joy and charisma of the subjects further elevates it, and where the story ultimately goes elevates it further still. Wardle gets the maximum amount of access, but he doesn’t fully trust the story, spiking it with needle drops and unnecessary flashbacks to scenes that occurred shortly before, as if any of this was forgettable.
The crux of the film, in which three young men, adopted as babies by different families, discover that they’re triplets, compresses the emotional ride of decades of the principals’ lives into 97 minutes. The moment of discovery is relayed by the brothers, now well into middle age, and is intercut with photographs from the time. The joy engendered by seeing another version of yourself walking around, of finding something that they always suspected was missing, is as evident in their giant 70’s smiles as it is in their 2010’s voices, losing none of the disbelief and exhilaration despite having been told hundreds of times. As they capitalize on their fifteen minutes of fame in the decadent Studio 54 era, their parents’ skepticism is aroused. Why weren’t they told that the respective son they adopted had two brothers? Does this explain the vicious, self-harming tantrums they all shared as babies, slamming their heads into walls or holding their breath until they passed out? Wardle transforms a serendipitous story into a mystery and a conspiracy as root causes are examined, scraping up some repulsive interview subjects who can only shed partial light on a serious ethical breach.
In shepherding this material to the finish line, Wardle, who is taking another crack at this case by producing an upcoming feature adaptation, does his best work when he steps back and lets people talk. These are loquacious, gesticulative New Yorkers, and they know how to tell a story. Wardle most understands this in the joyful first section, with a slow pullout on a picture of the three brothers together for the first time, overlaid with the emotional voice of a relative talking about the moment. It’s universally powerful. That kind of grace is often missing from other sections of the film, swapped out for flashy edits and fades. Whoever’s at the helm of the feature version of this story needs to just let the events do the talking. Three Identical Strangers is an elemental tale of reunion and separation, and therefore contains a low degree of difficulty. It’s a heavy story in need of a light touch. B
In shepherding this material to the finish line, Wardle, who is taking another crack at this case by producing an upcoming feature adaptation, does his best work when he steps back and lets people talk. These are loquacious, gesticulative New Yorkers, and they know how to tell a story. Wardle most understands this in the joyful first section, with a slow pullout on a picture of the three brothers together for the first time, overlaid with the emotional voice of a relative talking about the moment. It’s universally powerful. That kind of grace is often missing from other sections of the film, swapped out for flashy edits and fades. Whoever’s at the helm of the feature version of this story needs to just let the events do the talking. Three Identical Strangers is an elemental tale of reunion and separation, and therefore contains a low degree of difficulty. It’s a heavy story in need of a light touch. B
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